High and low nightly running behavior associates with nucleus accumbens N-Methyl- d -aspartate receptor (NMDAR) NR1 subunit expression and NMDAR functional differences
Grigsby, K B.; Kovarik, C M.; Rottinghaus, G E.; Booth, F W.
Neuroscience Letters 671: 50-55
2018
ISSN/ISBN: 0304-3940 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2018.02.011
Accession: 065106756
The extent to which N-Methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors facilitate the motivation to voluntarily wheel-run in rodents has yet to be determined. In so, we utilized female Wistar rats selectively bred to voluntarily run high (HVR) and low (LVR) nightly distances in order to examine if endogenous differences in nucleus accumbens (NAc) NMDA receptor expression and function underlies the propensity for high or low motivation to voluntarily wheel-run. 12-14 week old HVR and LVR females were used to examine: 1.) NAc mRNA and protein expression of NMDA subunits NR1, NR2A and NR2B; 2.) NMDA current responses in isolated medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and 3.) NMDA-evoked dopamine release in an ex vivo preparation of NAc punches.