Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.
ESF Genomics

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Originally published in Science Express on 24 May 2001
Science 29 June 2001:
Vol. 292. no. 5526, pp. 2499 - 2501
DOI: 10.1126/science.1060818
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Reports

Impulsive Choice Induced in Rats by Lesions of the Nucleus Accumbens Core

Rudolf N. Cardinal,* David R. Pennicott, C. Lakmali , Sugathapala, Trevor W. Robbins, Barry J. Everitt

Impulsive choice is exemplified by choosing a small or poor reward that is available immediately, in preference to a larger but delayed reward. Impulsive choice contributes to drug addiction, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, mania, and personality disorders, but its neuroanatomical basis is unclear. Here, we show that selective lesions of the nucleus accumbens core induce persistent impulsive choice in rats. In contrast, damage to two of its afferents, the anterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex, had no effect on this capacity. Thus, dysfunction of the nucleus accumbens core may be a key element in the neuropathology of impulsivity.

Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rudolf.cardinal{at}pobox.com

Read the Full Text


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Reward-Dependent Modulation of Neuronal Activity in the Primate Dorsal Raphe Nucleus.
K. Nakamura, M. Matsumoto, and O. Hikosaka (2008)
J. Neurosci. 28, 5331-5343
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Appetitive Motivation Predicts the Neural Response to Facial Signals of Aggression.
J. D. Beaver, A. D. Lawrence, L. Passamonti, and A. J. Calder (2008)
J. Neurosci. 28, 2719-2725
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Intention, Choice, and the Medial Frontal Cortex.
M. F.S. RUSHWORTH (2008)
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1124, 181-207
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Human Pavlovian Instrumental Transfer.
D. Talmi, B. Seymour, P. Dayan, and R. J. Dolan (2008)
J. Neurosci. 28, 360-368
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Stop-Signal Reaction-Time Task Performance: Role of Prefrontal Cortex and Subthalamic Nucleus.
D. M. Eagle, C. Baunez, D. M. Hutcheson, O. Lehmann, A. P. Shah, and T. W. Robbins (2008)
Cereb Cortex 18, 178-188
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Immediate Reward Bias in Humans: Fronto-Parietal Networks and a Role for the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase 158Val/Val Genotype.
C. A. Boettiger, J. M. Mitchell, V. C. Tavares, M. Robertson, G. Joslyn, M. D'Esposito, and H. L. Fields (2007)
J. Neurosci. 27, 14383-14391
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Orbitofrontal Cortex, Impulsivity, and Addiction: Probing Orbitofrontal Dysfunction at the Neural, Neurochemical, and Molecular Level.
C. A. WINSTANLEY (2007)
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1121, 639-655
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The smoking Stroop and delay discounting in smokers: effects of environmental smoking cues.
M. Field, M. Rush, J. Cole, and A. Goudie (2007)
J Psychopharmacol 21, 603-610
   Abstract »    PDF »
Methylphenidate can reduce selectivity in associative learning in an aversive trace conditioning task.
R.R. Horsley and H. J. Cassaday (2007)
J Psychopharmacol 21, 492-500
   Abstract »    PDF »
Serotonin and the Evaluation of Future Rewards: Theory, Experiments, and Possible Neural Mechanisms.
N. SCHWEIGHOFER, S. C. TANAKA, and K. DOYA (2007)
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1104, 289-300
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Calculating the Cost of Acting in Frontal Cortex.
M. E. WALTON, P. H. RUDEBECK, D. M. BANNERMAN, and M. F. S. RUSHWORTH (2007)
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1104, 340-356
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Striatal Contributions to Reward and Decision Making: Making Sense of Regional Variations in a Reiterated Processing Matrix.
J. R. WICKENS, C. S. BUDD, B. I. HYLAND, and G. W. ARBUTHNOTT (2007)
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1104, 192-212
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Amygdala-Prefrontal Cortical Circuitry Regulates Effort-Based Decision Making.
S. B. Floresco and S. Ghods-Sharifi (2007)
Cereb Cortex 17, 251-260
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Previous Cocaine Exposure Makes Rats Hypersensitive to Both Delay and Reward Magnitude.
M. R. Roesch, Y. Takahashi, N. Gugsa, G. B. Bissonette, and G. Schoenbaum (2007)
J. Neurosci. 27, 245-250
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Tourette's Syndrome and the Law..
J. Jankovic, C. Kwak, and R. Frankoff (2006)
J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 18, 86-95
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
From the Cover: {micro} Opioid receptor A118G polymorphism in association with striatal opioid neuropeptide gene expression in heroin abusers.
K. Drakenberg, A. Nikoshkov, M. C. Horvath, P. Fagergren, A. Gharibyan, K. Saarelainen, S. Rahman, I. Nylander, G. Bakalkin, J. Rajs, et al. (2006)
PNAS 103, 7883-7888
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A comparison of multiple 5-HT receptors in two tasks measuring impulsivity.
J. C. Talpos, L. S. Wilkinson, and T. W. Robbins (2006)
J Psychopharmacol 20, 47-58
   Abstract »    PDF »
Double Dissociation between Serotonergic and Dopaminergic Modulation of Medial Prefrontal and Orbitofrontal Cortex during a Test of Impulsive Choice.
C. A. Winstanley, D. E.H. Theobald, J. W. Dalley, R. N. Cardinal, and T. W. Robbins (2006)
Cereb Cortex 16, 106-114
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The endophenotype of impulsivity: reaching consilience through behavioral, genetic, and neuroimaging approaches..
E. Congdon and T. Canli (2005)
Behav Cogn Neurosci Rev 4, 262-281
   Abstract »    PDF »
Neuronal Activity in Primate Orbitofrontal Cortex Reflects the Value of Time.
M. R. Roesch and C. R. Olson (2005)
J Neurophysiol 94, 2457-2471
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Involvement of the Dorsal Striatum in Cue-Controlled Cocaine Seeking.
L. J. M. J. Vanderschuren, P. Di Ciano, and B. J. Everitt (2005)
J. Neurosci. 25, 8665-8670
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Neuronal Activity Dependent on Anticipated and Elapsed Delay in Macaque Prefrontal Cortex, Frontal and Supplementary Eye Fields, and Premotor Cortex.
M. R. Roesch and C. R. Olson (2005)
J Neurophysiol 94, 1469-1497
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
AMPA/kainate, NMDA, and dopamine D1 receptor function in the nucleus accumbens core: A context-limited role in the encoding and consolidation of instrumental memory.
P. J. Hernandez, M. E. Andrzejewski, K. Sadeghian, J. B. Panksepp, and A. E. Kelley (2005)
Learn. Mem. 12, 285-295
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Involvement of the rat anterior cingulate cortex in control of instrumental responses guided by reward expectancy.
J. Schweimer and W. Hauber (2005)
Learn. Mem. 12, 334-342
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
A Computational Model of the Functional Role of the Ventral-Striatal D2 Receptor in the Expression of Previously Acquired Behaviors.
A. J. Smith, S. Becker, and S. Kapur (2005)
Neural Comput. 17, 361-395
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Measuring Impulsivity and Modeling Its Association With Cigarette Smoking.
S. H. Mitchell (2004)
Behav Cogn Neurosci Rev 3, 261-275
   Abstract »    PDF »
The Cognitive Neuroscience of Human Decision Making: A Review and Conceptual Framework.
L. K. Fellows (2004)
Behav Cogn Neurosci Rev 3, 159-172
   Abstract »    PDF »
Extinction Training Regulates Neuroadaptive Responses to Withdrawal from Chronic Cocaine Self-Administration.
D. W. Self, K.-H. Choi, D. Simmons, J. R. Walker, and C. S. Smagula (2004)
Learn. Mem. 11, 648-657
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Evidence for Addiction-like Behavior in the Rat.
V. Deroche-Gamonet, D. Belin, and P. V. Piazza (2004)
Science 305, 1014-1017
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Reflective and Impulsive Determinants of Social Behavior.
F. Strack and R. Deutsch (2004)
Personality and Social Psychology Review 8, 220-247
   Abstract »    PDF »
Common Genetic Effects on Variation in Impulsivity and Activity in Mice.
A. R. Isles, T. Humby, E. Walters, and L. S. Wilkinson (2004)
J. Neurosci. 24, 6733-6740
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Limbic Corticostriatal Systems and Delayed Reinforcement.
R. N. CARDINAL, C. A. WINSTANLEY, T. W. ROBBINS, and B. J. EVERITT (2004)
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1021, 33-50
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Contrasting Roles of Basolateral Amygdala and Orbitofrontal Cortex in Impulsive Choice.
C. A. Winstanley, D. E. H. Theobald, R. N. Cardinal, and T. W. Robbins (2004)
J. Neurosci. 24, 4718-4722
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Cue-Evoked Firing of Nucleus Accumbens Neurons Encodes Motivational Significance During a Discriminative Stimulus Task.
S. M. Nicola, I. A. Yun, K. T. Wakabayashi, and H. L. Fields (2004)
J Neurophysiol 91, 1840-1865
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Direct Physiological Evidence for Synaptic Connectivity Between Medium-Sized Spiny Neurons in Rat Nucleus Accumbens In Situ.
S. Taverna, Y. C. van Dongen, H. J. Groenewegen, and C. M.A. Pennartz (2004)
J Neurophysiol 91, 1111-1121
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Incentive-Elicited Brain Activation in Adolescents: Similarities and Differences from Young Adults.
J. M. Bjork, B. Knutson, G. W. Fong, D. M. Caggiano, S. M. Bennett, and D. W. Hommer (2004)
J. Neurosci. 24, 1793-1802
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Prefrontal Cortical-Ventral Striatal Interactions Involved in Affective Modulation of Attentional Performance: Implications for Corticostriatal Circuit Function.
A. Christakou, T. W. Robbins, and B. J. Everitt (2004)
J. Neurosci. 24, 773-780
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Neural Substrates Underlying Impulsivity.
J. A. KING, J. TENNEY, V. ROSSI, L. COLAMUSSI, and S. BURDICK (2003)
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1008, 160-169
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Lesions of Nucleus Accumbens Disrupt Learning about Aversive Outcomes.
G. Schoenbaum and B. Setlow (2003)
J. Neurosci. 23, 9833-9841
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Disruption of a novel member of a sodium/hydrogen exchanger family and DOCK3 is associated with an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-like phenotype.
M G de Silva, K Elliott, H-H Dahl, E Fitzpatrick, S Wilcox, M Delatycki, R Williamson, D Efron, M Lynch, and S Forrest (2003)
J. Med. Genet. 40, 733-740
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Functional Specialization within Medial Frontal Cortex of the Anterior Cingulate for Evaluating Effort-Related Decisions.
M. E. Walton, D. M. Bannerman, K. Alterescu, and M. F. S. Rushworth (2003)
J. Neurosci. 23, 6475-6479
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Effects of Expectations for Different Reward Magnitudes on Neuronal Activity in Primate Striatum.
H. C. Cromwell and W. Schultz (2003)
J Neurophysiol 89, 2823-2838
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Nucleus Accumbens Dopamine and the Regulation of Effort in Food-Seeking Behavior: Implications for Studies of Natural Motivation, Psychiatry, and Drug Abuse.
J. D. Salamone, M. Correa, S. Mingote, and S. M. Weber (2003)
J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 305, 1-8
   Abstract »    Full Text »
Localized Lesion of Caudal Part of Lobus Parolfactorius Caused Impulsive Choice in the Domestic Chick: Evolutionarily Conserved Function of Ventral Striatum.
E.-I. Izawa, G. Zachar, S. Yanagihara, and T. Matsushima (2003)
J. Neurosci. 23, 1894-1902
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The Role of Rat Medial Frontal Cortex in Effort-Based Decision Making.
M. E. Walton, D. M. Bannerman, and M. F. S. Rushworth (2002)
J. Neurosci. 22, 10996-11003
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
The distribution of structural neuropathology in pre-clinical Huntington's disease.
M. J. Thieben, A. J. Duggins, C. D. Good, L. Gomes, N. Mahant, F. Richards, E. McCusker, and R. S. J. Frackowiak (2002)
Brain 125, 1815-1828
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)