动物实验 z-bo 2020-09-05 440

　　A mouse study published in "Nature-Communication" showed that a hormone produced by immune cells can change the motivation of mice to find cocaine, but no other rewards are involved. The study further showed that this effect is regulated by a brain area that is critical for reward processing. The above findings indicate that there may be a potential treatment that can be used to reduce the motivation of cocaine addicts to find drugs without fear of abuse. Past studies have established the relationship between cocaine intake and the immune system, which is manifested as changes in the immune response of cocaine addicts to drugs.

　　In this study, Drew Kiraly and colleagues found that granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) was up-regulated in mice exposed to cocaine. G-CSF is a hormone produced by immune cells and is a natural substance. Injection of G-CSF into the nucleus accumbens (brain area related to rewards) caused mice to consume more cocaine, but it did not change the mice’s motivation to consume more natural rewards (sugar). If the nucleus accumbens is injected with antibodies to neutralize G-CSF, it will reduce the motivation of mice to take cocaine. Taken together, the results of this study indicate that regulating G-CSF in the nucleus accumbens can alter the biochemical signals that affect cocaine intake in mice.