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addiction

Is the anterior insula required for nicotine context relapse?

Ghareh H, Alonso-Lozares I, Schetters D, et al. · eLife · 2022

Open access · cc by · source: Europe PMC

In a punishment-imposed abstinence model, anterior (not mid/posterior) insula activity rose at context relapse, and chemogenetic aIC inhibition cut seeking after punishment or extinction.

Key findings

aIC (not mIC/pIC) activated at relapse; contralateral aIC and BLA inputs were more active; aIC showed phasic rises around seeking; inhibiting aIC reduced context-induced seeking after punishment or extinction.

Methodology

Built a rodent context-relapse model after punishment-imposed abstinence; measured Fos, retrograde inputs, fiber photometry, and chemogenetic inhibition in male and female rats.

Limitations

Does not directly treat human smokers or prove all insula subregions are equivalent outside this relapse assay.

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