1983/08/19 by Nick E. Goeders, James E. Smith · 489 citations
Neuroscience · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Psychology · Medicine · #Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior #Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling #Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology #Ventral tegmental area #Dopaminergic #Nucleus accumbens #Sulpiride #Neuroscience #Reinforcement #Microinjection #Prefrontal cortex #Self-administration #Thalamus #Psychology #Brain stimulation reward #Dopamine #Pharmacology #Medicine #Internal medicine
paper · doi:10.1126/science.6879176
published in Science 221(4612), 773-775 (American Association for the Advancement of Science)
openalex publication_date 1983/08/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
Neuronal systems involved in the initiation of cocaine reinforcement were investigated by identifying brain sites where direct application of the drug was reinforcing. This was accomplished by allowing rats to self-administer picomolar concentrations of cocaine into discrete brain regions. The medial prefrontal cortex supported self-administration, while the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area did not. Self-administration could be attenuated by including equimolar concentrations of the dopaminergic D2-receptor antagonist sulpiride in the microinjection system. These results imply that cocaine reinforcement is mediated in part through a direct action on mesocortical dopaminergic receptors.