The ability of amphetamine to evoke arc (Arg 3.1) mRNA expression in the caudate, nucleus accumbens and neocortex is modulated by environmental context.

The ability of amphetamine or cocaine to induce the expression of c-fos mRNA in a number of brain regions is greatly enhanced when these drugs are administered in a distinct and relatively novel environment, relative to when they are given in the home cage. The purpose of this study was to determine if environmental context has a similar effect on the ability of amphetamine to induce the expression of arc (also known as Arg 3.1), an "effector" immediate early gene (IEG) thought to play a direct role in cellular plasticity.