Effects of reversible inactivation of the ventral tegmental area on the acquisition and expression of morphine-induced conditioned place preference in the rat

The mesolimbic dopaminergic system that projects from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the nucleus accumbens is critical for initiation of opioid reinforcement and reward-related effects of drugs of abuse. In the present study, the effects of reversible inactivation of VTA on acquisition and expression of morphine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) were investigated in rats. One hundred and eighty-one adult male albino Wistar rats were used in these experiments. Reversible inactivation of VTA was done through the unilateral and bilateral intra-VTA microinjection of 2% lidocaine during the acquisition and expression of morphine (5 mg/kg; s.c.)-induced CPP. Animal displacement, conditioning score and locomotor activity were recorded by Ethovision software. The results showed that bilateral but not unilateral intra-VTA administration of lidocaine significantly decreases the acquisition (P < 0.01) and expression (P < 0.05) of morphine-induced CPP compared to their respective saline-microinjected groups. Moreover, intra-VTA administration of lidocaine had no effect on locomotor activity in these experiments. Our results further support the idea that VTA may play an important role in the acquisition of morphine-induced CPP. In addition, there is no functional lateralization in the VTA for acquisition and/or expression of morphine-induced CPP in the rat.