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Different Effects of Peer Sex on Operant Responding for Social Interaction and Striatal Dopamine Activity.

Authors :
Chow JJ
Pitts KM
Schoenbaum A
Costa KM
Schoenbaum G
Shaham Y
Source :
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience [J Neurosci] 2024 Mar 06; Vol. 44 (10). Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Mar 06.
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

When rats are given discrete choices between social interactions with a peer and opioid or psychostimulant drugs, they choose social interaction, even after extensive drug self-administration experience. Studies show that like drug and nondrug food reinforcers, social interaction is an operant reinforcer and induces dopamine release. However, these studies were conducted with same-sex peers. We examined if peer sex influences operant social interaction and the role of estrous cycle and striatal dopamine in same- versus opposite-sex social interaction. We trained male and female rats ( n  = 13 responders/12 peers) to lever-press (fixed-ratio 1 [FR1] schedule) for 15 s access to a same- or opposite-sex peer for 16 d (8 d/sex) while tracking females' estrous cycle. Next, we transfected GRAB-DA2m and implanted optic fibers into nucleus accumbens (NAc) core and dorsomedial striatum (DMS). We then retrained the rats for 15 s social interaction (FR1 schedule) for 16 d (8 d/sex) and recorded striatal dopamine during operant responding for a peer for 8 d (4 d/sex). Finally, we assessed economic demand by manipulating FR requirements for a peer (10 d/sex). In male, but not female rats, operant responding was higher for the opposite-sex peer. Female's estrous cycle fluctuations had no effect on operant social interaction. Striatal dopamine signals for operant social interaction were dependent on the peer's sex and striatal region (NAc core vs DMS). Results indicate that estrous cycle fluctuations did not influence operant social interaction and that NAc core and DMS dopamine activity reflect sex-dependent features of volitional social interaction.<br />Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interests.<br /> (Copyright © 2024 the authors.)

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1529-2401
Volume :
44
Issue :
10
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
38346894
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1887-23.2024