Systemic and central amygdala injections of the mGluR 2/3 agonist LY379268 attenuate the expression of incubation of sucrose craving in rats

Abstract

We previously reported that systemic or central amygdala injections of the mGluR 2/3 agonist LY379268 (which decreases glutamate release) prevented enhanced cue-induced cocaine seeking in extinction tests after prolonged withdrawal (incubation of cocaine craving). Here, we report that systemic and central amygdala injections of LY379268 also prevented the enhanced cue-induced sucrose seeking in extinction tests after prolonged sucrose-free period (incubation of sucrose craving). These findings suggest that central amygdala glutamate plays an important role in the incubation of reward craving after withdrawal from both drug and non-drug rewards.