Involvement of D2 receptor in the NAc in chronic unpredictable stress-induced depression-like behaviours.

Involvement of D2 receptor in the NAc in chronic unpredictable stress-induced depression-like behaviours. Stress. 2019 Sep 26;:1-19 Authors: Qiao H, Yang S, Xu C, Ma XM, An SC Abstract D2 receptors (D2Rs) located in both pre- and postsynaptic membranes of medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) are involved in the stress response and associated behaviours. The role of D2Rs in chronic unpredictable stress (CUS)-induced depression-like behaviours is not clear. Quinpirole (a D2R agonist) and eticlopride (a D2R antagonist) were stereotactically delivered into the NAc before Sprague Dawley rats underwent CUS. CUS-induced depression-like behaviours were accompanied by a significant decrease in both the dopamine (DA) level and D2R expression in the NAc. Eticlopride reversed CUS-induced depression-like behaviour and rescued the DA levels in the NAc, and microinjection of DA into the NAc of CUS individuals had the same effect as eticlopride. By contrast, delivery of quinpirole into the NAc of control animals induced depression-like behaviours accompanied by a decrease in the DA level in the NAc. These results show that DA plays a key role in CUS-induced depression-like behaviours and the D2R exerts a presynaptic negative feedback on DA levels during CUS. Microinjection of quinpirole into the NAc also decreased the level of the kalirin-7 protein in the NAc of both control and stressed animals, while eticlopride increased its...
Source: Stress - Category: Research Tags: Stress Source Type: research