In rats self-administering cocaine, drug seeking behavior induced by a cocaine-paired cue increases progressively during cocaine withdrawal. The authors detected silent synapses in basolateral amygdala–to–nucleus accumbens projections during early withdrawal, but these synapses progressively disappeared during protracted withdrawal. Optogenetic 're-silencing' of these synapses decreased cue-induced cocaine seeking following withdrawal.
- Brian R Lee
- Yao-Ying Ma
- Yan Dong
