Transcriptomics of environmental enrichment and cocaine using quantitative next generation sequencing

Environmental enrichment produces a protective addiction phenotype in animal models. Gene transcription is thought to mediate this protective phenotype and has a profound influence on neuronal plasticity and psychiatric disorders. Understanding the molecular and genetic mechanisms underlying environmental enrichment may lead to novel targets for pharmacotherapeutics to treat cocaine addiction. We investigated the differential regulation of transcript levels using RNA sequencing of the rat nucleus accumbens after environmental enrichment/isolation and cocaine/saline self-administration. New functional pathways were also identified for cocaine modulation and environmental enrichment.环境富集（Environmental enrichment）可在动物模型中产生保护性成瘾表型。据信基因转录介导了该保护性表型，并对神经元可塑性与精神疾病存在显著影响。解析环境富集背后的分子与遗传机制，有望为可卡因成瘾的药物治疗开发全新靶点。本研究通过对经环境富集/孤立饲养并接受可卡因/生理盐水自身给药的大鼠伏隔核（nucleus accumbens）开展RNA测序（RNA sequencing），分析了转录水平的差异调控情况。此外，本研究还鉴定出了参与可卡因调控与环境富集过程的新型功能通路。