Psychostimulant Addiction and Nutrient sensing Neurons
Project Goal:
The goal of “Psychostimulant Addiction and Nutrient-Sensing Neurons” (PANN) is to test the central hypothesis that methamphetamine and cocaine drug experience alters the activity of glucose sensitive lateral hypothalamus melanin-concentrating hormone neurons, that this is associated with changes in lateral hypothalamic glucose levels, and that melanin-concentrating hormone neurons help regulate addiction-like symptoms during self-administration
Aims:
Aim 1:
Determine changes in melanin-concentrating hormone neuronal activity and extracellular glucose after psychostimulant experience in vivo.
Aim 2:
Determine the functional role of melanin-concentrating hormone neurons in the lateral hypothalmus in regulating addiction-like behavior