Research reportRole of basolateral amygdala dopamine D2 receptors in impulsive choice in acute cocaine-treated rats

- Acute cocaine dose-dependently decreased the impulsive choice in rats.
- D2 receptor blockade had no effect on impulsive choice.
- D2 receptor blockade in the basolateral amygdala reversed the cocaine-induced impulse inhibition.

Psychostimulant substances have been found to either increase or inhibit impulsive choice (preference to choose small immediate reward over large delayed reward) in laboratory animals. Although central dopamine transmission has been demonstrated to be involved in impulsivity and drug addiction, little is known regarding dopaminergic neurotransmission in addictive drug-induced alteration of impulse control. In this study, we used a delay discounting model to measure impulsive choice in rats and found that acute cocaine dose-dependently decreased impulsive choice in rats. Intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of D1 receptor antagonist SCH23390 (0.02 mg/kg) could increase the impulsive choice but had no effect on the inhibition of impulsive choice induced by acute cocaine exposure. D2 receptor antagonist eticlopride (0.06 mg/kg) had no effect on the choice behavior itself, but it reversed acute cocaine-induced impulse inhibition. Moreover, bilateral microinjection of eticlopride (1 μg/side) into the basolateral amygdala (BLA) but not the nucleus accumbens (NAc) core reversed the inhibitory effect of acute cocaine on impulsive choice. These data suggest important but dissociable roles of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors in impulse control. The preference of delayed rewards depends on D1 receptors, whereas acute cocaine inhibited impulsive choice by activating D2 receptors in the BLA.