Medial prefrontal cortex ERK and conditioning: Evidence for the association of increased medial prefrontal cortex ERK with the presence/absence of apomorphine conditioned behavior using a unique post-trial conditioning/extinction protocol.

Increases in medial prefrontal cortex ERK have been linked to learning and memory processes. In the present study separate groups of rats initially underwent testing in an open-field paired with either 2.0 mg/kg apomorphine or vehicle injections.

Increase in medial frontal cortex ERK activation following the induction of apomorphine sensitization.

Repeated high dose injections of the direct acting D1/D2 agonist apomorphine (APO) induces context specific behavioral sensitization. We assessed the effects of 2.0 mg/kg APO on open-field locomotor responses of rats over a 30 min period following either single or five daily APO injections.