Addictive Behavior Control Circuit Discovered in Rat Brains

Some rats showed a decrease in addictive tendencies when researchers activated the pathway, while the behavior of others became more addictive when the pathway was inhibited.

Written byLisa Winter

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In a recent study of more than 900 rats, Shelly Flagel and her team of neuroscientists at the University of Michigan found that a region in the thalamus of rats regulates a circuit linked to the prelimbic cortex, a brain region that governs certain urges linked to addiction. This pathway may one day become a new therapeutic target, according to a paper published last September in eLife.

The team presented the rats with an inactive lever and then delivered food down a nearby chute. The rats were grouped based on how they responded to the presence of the lever. One group, dubbed “goal-trackers,” were only interested in the chute upon seeing the lever, a predictable conditioned response. The “sign-trackers,” on the other hand, enthusiastically engaged with the lever itself, even though they were not able to cause the food to come down.

The thalamus is a ...

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Meet the Author

Lisa Winter
Lisa joined The Scientist in 2017. As social media editor, some of her duties include creating content, managing interactions, and developing strategies for the brand’s social media presence. She also contributes to the News & Opinion section of the website. Lisa holds a degree in Biological Sciences with a concentration in genetics, cell, and developmental biology from Arizona State University and has worked in science communication since 2012.
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