Glutamate transmission in the prelimbic cortex and nucleus accumbens shell is involved in ethanol reinforcement and drinking in rats

These results suggest that (a) activation of local glutamate transmission is critical to ethanol reinforcement within the PL cortex and NAc shell, (b) strain difference exists in mGluR3 protein expression between P and Wistar rats, (c) chronic ethanol induces neuro-adaptations characterized by enhanced basal extracellular glutamate transmission, and (d) up-regulation of GLT-1 attenuates ethanol drinking. Taken together, these results further support the importance of glutamate transmission within the PL cortex and NAc shell in mediating ethanol effects.