6-Hydroxydopamine lesions of nucleus accumbens core abolish amphetamine-induced conditioned activity.

Environmental cues associated with drug experiences appear to play a critical role in drug dependence. We have previously reported that dopamine-depleting lesions of the nucleus accumbens medial shell inhibit amphetamine-conditioned place preference. Here, we examined the effects of analogous lesions on amphetamine-conditioned locomotor activity. Bilateral core, but not medial shell, lesions attenuated unconditioned locomotion and abolished the conditioned locomotor response. Taken with our previous results, these findings confirm a role for accumbens core in amphetamine-induced locomotor activity and suggest that the role of medial shell DA transmission in conditioned place preference is related to reward processing rather than conditioning in general.