Nucleus accumbens core dopamine D2 receptors are required for performance of the odor span task in male rats

The nucleus accumbens (NAc) core gates motivationally relevant behavioral action sequences through afferents from cortical and subcortical brain regions. While the role of the NAc core in reward and effort-based decision making is well established, its role in working memory (WM) processes is incompletely understood. The odor span task (OST) has been proposed as a measure of non-spatial working memory capacity (WMC) as it requires rodents to select a novel odor from an increasing number of familiar odors to obtain a food reward.

To assess the role of the NAc core in the OST using (1) reversible chemical inactivation and (2) selective blockade of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors in the area.

Well-trained male rats were tested on the OST following intra-NAc core infusions of muscimol/baclofen, the D1 receptor antagonist SCH-23390 (1 μg/hemisphere) and the D2 receptor antagonist eticlopride (1 μg/hemisphere). Behavioral measurements included the average odor span, maximum odor span, choice latency, searching vigor, and patterns of responding during foraging that may relate to impulsivity.

Chemical inactivation of the NAc core significantly decreased odor span relative to sham and vehicle conditions. Selective antagonism of D2, but not D1, receptors in the NAc core also produced deficits in odor span. We found that secondary behavioral measures of choice latency, searching vigor, and responding to the first odor stimulus encountered were largely unaffected by treatment.

These findings suggest that D2 receptors in the NAc core are required for OST performance.