Publications by authors named "Marek Ellenberger"
Background And Purpose: Currently, there is no effective drug to treat cocaine-use disorder, which affects millions of people worldwide. Benzodiazepines are potential therapeutic candidates, as microdialysis and voltammetry studies have shown that they can decrease dopamine concentrations in the nucleus accumbens of rodents and block the increase in dopamine levels and appetitive 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) induced by amphetamine in rats.
Experimental Approach: Here, we tested whether administration of 2.
Article Synopsis
- Rats produce 50-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) that indicate positive feelings, especially during reward anticipation, and are linked to dopamine activity.
- The study explored whether these vocalizations occur during a conditioned approach task and if individual differences in USV emission relate to how rats engage with reward cues (sign-tracking vs. goal-tracking).
- Results showed significant variation in USV emission among rats, with those that actively engaged with reward cues producing more 50-kHz calls, suggesting a connection between sign-tracking behavior and increased vocalizations.