Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41125859›Full record

ArticlePsychopharmacology2026

Effects of kappa-opioid receptor stimulation on addiction-related behavior in female rats: differences along the rostro-caudal axis of the nucleus accumbens shell.

Annie Hawks, Mary B Spodnick, Malcolm C Jennings, Christina M Nelson, Megan Peng, Gavin Vaughan, Brody A Carpenter, Chan N Chung, Anushree N Karkhanis, Jessica R Barson

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Psychopharmacology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Annie HawksBarson Lab, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA.
Mary B SpodnickKarkhanis Lab, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University - SUNY, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA.
Malcolm C JenningsBarson Lab, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA.
Christina M NelsonBarson Lab, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA.
Megan PengBarson Lab, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA.
Gavin VaughanKarkhanis Lab, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University - SUNY, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA.
Brody A CarpenterBarson Lab, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA.
Chan N ChungBarson Lab, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA.
Anushree N KarkhanisKarkhanis Lab, Department of Psychology, Binghamton University - SUNY, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA. akarkhan@binghamton.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8271-3500
Jessica R BarsonBarson Lab, Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA. jrb455@drexel.edu.

Funding

Mechanisms of rostrocaudal differences in accumbal kappa opioid receptor effects on ethanol drinkingR01AA028228 · NIAAA · STATE UNIVERSITY OF NY,BINGHAMTON · PI BARSON, JESSICA ROSE, KARKHANIS, ANUSHREE N · 2021 to 2025
$2.5M
NIAAA NIH HHS AA028228NIAAA NIH HHS R01 AA028228
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

rationaleAffective behavioral effects of kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) stimulation have been found to vary between the rostral and caudal nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell, but this has so far only been demonstrated in males.

objectivesTo examine the effects of KOR activation in subregions of the NAc shell on affective and motivated behavior in females.

methodsIn one group of Long-Evans rats, females were given access to 20% ethanol in an intermittent-access procedure and then injected within-subject with the selective KOR agonist, U50,488, or vehicle in the rostral or caudal NAc shell, prior to being tested in a light-dark box or having their ethanol drinking monitored. In a second group of Long-Evans rats, females and males were trained to self-administer 10% sucrose and then injected within-subject with U50,488 or vehicle in the rostral or caudal NAc shell, prior to being tested in a progressive ratio (PR) schedule of reinforcement.

resultsInjection of U50,488 into the caudal but not rostral NAc shell reduced the number of entries into the light chamber of a light-dark box, while injection of U50,488 into the rostral but not caudal NAc shell reduced ethanol drinking. Injection of U50,488 into neither the rostral nor the caudal NAc shell had any effect on any measure of sucrose intake.

conclusionsThe present findings confirm and extend previous findings regarding the effects of KOR activation in subregions of the NAc shell on affective and motivated behavior. These results support a continued focus on the KOR as a possible pharmacotherapeutic target.

Indexed as

3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-IsomerBehavior, AddictiveNucleus AccumbensReceptors, Opioid, kappaAlcohol DrinkingAnimalsBehavior, AnimalEthanolFemaleMaleMotivationRatsRats, Long-EvansReinforcement ScheduleSelf AdministrationSucrose3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-IsomerEthanolReceptors, Opioid, kappaSucroseCaudal NAcEthanolIntermittent accessLight-dark boxLong-EvansProgressive ratioRostral NAcSelf-administrationSucroseU50,488

Identifiers

PMID41125859
PMCPMC12747794

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.