Ricerc@Sapienza

Neuronal ensembles in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) play a role in both cocaine and palatable food seeking. However, it is unknown whether similar or different vmPFC neuronal ensembles mediate food and cocaine seeking. Here, we used the Daun02 inactivation procedure to assess whether the neuronal ensembles mediating food and cocaine seeking can be functionally distinguished. We trained male and female Fos-LacZ rats to self-administer palatable food pellets and cocaine on alternating days for 18 days.

Neuronal ensembles in the infralimbic cortex (IL) develop after prolonged food self- administration training. However, rats demonstrate evidence of learning the food self- administration response as early as day 1, with responding quickly increasing to asymptotic levels.