Dr. Sven Kroener
Biographical Information

Pilot Grant - Effects of acute and repeated cocaine administration on GABAergic interneurons and activity states in the prefrontal cortex (PFC)

The neurobiological changes that underlie drug addiction are not well understood. Recent studies have pointed to the possibility of a “hypoactive” frontal cortex in cocaine addicts or animals sensitized to cocaine, which could result in decreased cognitive inhibitory control to regulate drug-seeking behavior. Recent studies have suggested potential mechanisms underlying a hypoactive frontal cortex. Recordings in-vivo show that both acute and repeated administration of cocaine disrupt the normal membrane transitions between quiet “down-states” and depolarized “up-states” during which firing occurs. At the same time, drug-seeking appears to shift the network activity of the prefrontal cortex towards activation of local inhibitory circuits, thus potentially attenuating the overall output of the prefrontal cortex. The experiments in this pilot project will study the effects of acute and repeated cocaine administration on the properties of up-states and the synaptic currents underlying them using whole-cell recordings in a triple co-culture system. Special emphasis will be placed on changes in inhibition and the electrophysiological properties of GABAergic interneurons.

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