Francois, Jennifer and Conway, Michael W. and Lowry, John P. and Tricklebank, Mark and Gilmour, Gary (2012) Changes in reward-related signals in the rat nucleus accumbens measured by in vivo oxygen amperometry are consistent with fMRI BOLD responses in man. NeuroImage, 60 (4). pp. 2169-2181. ISSN 1053-8119

Preview

Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Real-time in vivo oxygen amperometry, a technique that allows measurement of regional brain tissue oxygen (O2) has been previously shown to bear relationship to the BOLD signal measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) protocols. In the present study, O2 amperometry was applied to the study of reward processing in the rat nucleus accumbens to validate the technique with a behavioural process known to cause robust signals in human neuroimaging studies. After acquisition of a cued-lever pressing task a robust increase in O2 tissue levels was observed in the nucleus accumbens specifically following a correct lever press to the rewarded cue. This O2 signal was modulated by cue reversal but not lever reversal, by differences in reward magnitudes and by the motivational state of the animal consistent with previous reports of the role of the nucleus accumbens in both the anticipation and representation of reward value. Moreover, this modulation by reward value was related more to the expected incentive value rather than the hedonic value of reward, also consistent with previous reports of accumbens coding of “wanting” of reward. Altogether, these results show striking similarities to those obtained in human fMRI studies suggesting the use of oxygen amperometry as a valid surrogate for fMRI in animals performing cognitive tasks, and a powerful approach to bridge between different techniques of measurement of brain function.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	The definitive version of this article is available at DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.02.024
Keywords:	Oxygen amperometry; Nucleus accumbens; Reward; Anticipation; fMRI;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Chemistry
Item ID:	7010
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.02.024
Depositing User:	John Lowry
Date Deposited:	09 Mar 2016 10:29
Journal or Publication Title:	NeuroImage
Publisher:	Elsevier
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	http://www.journals.elsevier.com/neuroim...
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

Repository Staff Only(login required)

Item control page

Downloads

Origin of downloads