Dopamine, Stress and Coping.
Stressors elicit a widespread activation of dopamine and noradrenergic systems. Dopamine (DA) efferents projecting to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are particularly sensitive to stressors. Evidence suggests that DA released within this brain region modulates higher cognitive and affective processes. Combined, this has suggested a role of PFC DA in stress-related alterations in cognition and affect. Coping, or displacement, behaviors have long been known to be emitted in the presence of inescapable stressors. For example, chewing of inedible material attenuates stressor-induced increases in plasma corticosterone in the rat. My laboratory has demonstrated that this displacement/coping behavior emitted in the presence of an inescapable stressor selectively suppresses stressor-induced activation of the PFC DA system.		A series of studies currently examines a variety of issues related to the functional consequence and neural circuitry underlying stressor- and coping-induced alterations in PFC DA release. For example, we are examining the extent to which coping (e.g. chewing) alters PFC neuronal activity (as measured by Fos) in stress and the role of DA in these actions. Additionally, we are examining the role of the central and basolateral nuclei of the amygdala in the regulation of DA release and the neural circuitry underlying amygdala modulation of DA neurotransmission. Combined, these studies focus on a previously unexplored area within the field of the neurobiology of stress. We believe these studies will provide novel information that will advance our understanding of the behavioral functions of the PFC DA system in stress and stress-related psychiatric disorders.
Related Publications: Bradberry, CW, Gruen, RJ, Berridge, CW, and Roth, RH. (1991) Individual differences in behavioral measures: Correlations with nucleus accumbens dopamine measured by microdialysis. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 39:877-882. Moghaddam, B, Berridge, CW, Goldman-Rakic, PS, Bunney, BS, Roth, RH. (1993) In vivo assessment of basal and drug-induced dopamine release in cortical and subcortical regions of the anesthetized primate. Synapse, 13:215-222. Davis, M, Hitchcock, JM, Bowers, MB, Berridge, CW, Melia, KR, and Roth, RH. (1994) Stress-induced activation of prefrontal cortex dopamine turnover: blockade by lesions of the amygdala. Brain Research, 664:207-210. Berridge, C.W., Mitton, E, Clark, W, Roth, RH. (1999) Engagement in a non-escape (displacement) behavior elicits a selective and lateralized suppression of frontal cortical dopaminergic utilization in stress. Synapse, 32, 187-197. Weninger, SC, Dunn, AJ, Muglia, LJ, Dikkes, P, Miczek, KA, Swiergiel, AH, Berridge, CW, and Majzoub, JA. (1999) Stress-induced behaviors require the CRH receptor, but not CRH. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 96:8283-8288. Berridge, CW, España, RA and Stalnaker, TA. Stress and Coping: Lateralization of Dopamine Systems Projecting to the Prefrontal Cortex. In: Brain Asymmetry, 2nd Edition (K. Hugdahl, R.J. Davidson, eds.), in press. back to list of Current Research projects

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