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Corticosterone and dopamine D2/D3 receptors mediate the motivation for voluntary wheel running in C57BL/6J mice

Ebada, Mohamed Elsaed Elsayed; Kendall, David A.; Pardon, Marie-Christine

Authors

Mohamed Elsaed Elsayed Ebada

David A. Kendall



Abstract

Physical exercise can improve cognition but whether this is related to motivation levels is unknown. Voluntary wheel running is a rewarding activity proposed as a model of motivation to exercise. To question the potential effects of exercise motivation on subsequent behaviour, we used a pharmacological approach targeting some reward mechanisms. The stress hormone corticosterone has rewarding effects mediated by activation of low affinity glucocorticoid receptors (GR). To investigate whether corticosterone synthesis motivates exercise via activation of GRs and subsequently, impacts on behaviour, we treated C57BL/6J mice acutely with the inhibitor of corticosterone synthesis metyrapone (35 mg/kg) or repeatedly with the GR antagonist mifepristone (30 mg/kg) prior to 1-h running wheel sessions. To investigate whether reducing motivation to exercise impacts on behaviour, we antagonised running-induced dopamine D2/D3 receptors activation with sulpiride (25 or 50 mg/kg) and assessed locomotor, anxietyrelated and memory performance after 20 running sessions over 4 weeks. We found that corticosterone synthesis contributes to running levels, but the maintenance of running behaviour was not mediated by activation of GRs. Intermittent exercise was not associated with changes in behavioural or cognitive performance. The persistent reduction in exercise levels triggered by sulpiride also had limited impact on behavioural performance, although the level of performance for some behaviours was related to the level of exercise. Altogether, these findings indicate that corticosterone and dopamine D2/D3 receptor activation contribute to the motivation for wheel running, but suggest that motivation for exercise is not a sufficient factor to alter behaviour in healthy mice.

Citation

Ebada, M. E. E., Kendall, D. A., & Pardon, M. (2016). Corticosterone and dopamine D2/D3 receptors mediate the motivation for voluntary wheel running in C57BL/6J mice. Behavioural Brain Research, 311, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2016.05.051

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date May 23, 2016
Online Publication Date May 24, 2016
Publication Date Sep 15, 2016
Deposit Date Aug 3, 2016
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Behavioural Brain Research
Print ISSN 0166-4328
Electronic ISSN 1872-7549
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 311
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbr.2016.05.051
Keywords Corticosterone; Voluntary wheel running; Dopamine D2/D3 receptors; Glucocorticoid receptors; Memory; C57BL/6J mice
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/817558
Publisher URL http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166432816303357

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