Locomotor sensitization and gene expression induced by Coca Paste in mice Nucleus Accumbens and Prefrontal Cortex

BETINA GONZALEZ; SCORZA, CECILIA; PRIETO, JOSÉ P.; BISAGNO, VERONICA; JAVIER A. MUÑIZ

Cordoba

Congreso; SAN 2018; 2018

Sociedad Argentina de Investigacion en Neurociencias

Coca-Paste (CP) is a smokable form of cocaine consumed in several South American countries. Its chronic consumption elicited a fast and strong dependence compared to cocaine, among other psychophysical alterations. CP is sold adulterated, being caffeine one of the most common psychoactive adulterant found in seized samples of the drug. In previous studies we demonstrated that caffeine as an adulterant is able to enhance and facilitate CP locomotor sensitization. In order to investigate the underlying mechanisms of such potentiation, the aim of this study was to evaluate the gene expression in reward-circuit related areas (Nucleo Accumbens, NAc, and medial prefrontal cortex, mPFC) after the expression of caffeine-adulterated and non-adulterated CP locomotor sensitization. After 3 days of treatment and 5 days of abstinence, adult male mice were challenged to cocaine, caffeine-adulterated CP and non-adulterated CP seized samples and the motor activity was recorded. At the end of the behavioral test mRNA levels of dopamine, adenosine, glutamate and cannabinoids receptors subunits were quantify, as well as CREB, CART and synaptophysin mRNA levels. Only animals treated with caffeine-adulterated CP expressed locomotor sensitization, and this corresponded to specific changes in the mRNA levels in the NAc and PFC, associated to chronic stimulant induced neuroplasticity, despite de short treatment. Our results can help to understand the fast dependence induced by CP consumption.