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A superior colliculus-originating circuit prevents cocaine reinstatement via VR-based eye movement desensitization treatment (National Science Review)

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Home / Resources / Addictions / A superior colliculus-originating circuit prevents cocaine reinstatement via VR-based eye movement desensitization treatment (National Science Review)

A superior colliculus-originating circuit prevents cocaine reinstatement via VR-based eye movement desensitization treatment

In this study, we developed a VR-based eye movement desensitization extinction training program tailored for mice to monitor neural circuitry and cocaine reinstatement cues.


Article Abstract

“While Virtual Reality (VR) technology shows promise in the management of substance use disorders, the development of an effective VR-based extinction procedure remains lacking. In this study, we developed a VR-based eye movement desensitization and reprocessing extinction training program tailored for mice. We found that this VR treatment during cocaine extinction prevents reinstatement by suppressing the hyperactivation of glutamatergic excitatory neurons in the intermediate layers of the superior colliculus (SCiCaMKIIα) during exposure to environmental cues. Additionally, SCiCaMKIIα neurons innervate tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons in the locus coeruleus (LCTH). Environmental cues trigger stronger phasic activation of LCTH neurons through this SCiCaMKIIα→LCTH projection, leading to increased dopamine release onto the dorsal CA3 (dCA3) region, thereby facilitating reinstatement. Furthermore, we demonstrate that VR treatment effectively inhibits the neural circuitry involving SCiCaMKIIα→LCTH→dCA3 in response to environmental cues, thus preventing cocaine reinstatement. Our findings suggest that VR treatment may represent a promising strategy for achieving drug abstinence.”

—Description from publisher

Article Access

Open access

Liu, Y., Zhou, Z-X., Lv, Q., Huang, G., Zhang, H., Wang, Y-Q., Chen, J-G., & Wang, F. (2025). A superior colliculus-originating circuit prevents cocaine reinstatement via VR-based eye movement desensitization treatment. National Science Review, 12(4), nwae467. Open access: https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwae467

View the Resource
Basic Info Collapse

Date
December 26, 2024

Creator(s)
Yang Liu1, Zi-Xiang Zhou, Qiu Lv

Contributor(s)
Guan Huang, Han Zhang, Ye-Qin Wang, Jian-Guo Chen, Fang Wang

Topics
Addictions

Practice & Methods
Neurobiology

More Info Collapse

Extent
16 pages

Publisher
Oxford University Press

Rights
© The Author(s) 2024

APA Citation
Liu, Y., Zhou, Z-X., Lv, Q., Huang, G., Zhang, H., Wang, Y-Q., Chen, J-G., & Wang, F. (2025). A superior colliculus-originating circuit prevents cocaine reinstatement via VR-based eye movement desensitization treatment. National Science Review, 12(4), nwae467. Open access: https://doi.org/10.1093/nsr/nwae467

Audience
EMDR Therapists

Language
English

Content Type
Article, Peer-Reviewed

Access Type
External Resource, Open Access

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Using eye movement desensitization and reprocessing to reduce cocaine cravings (American Journal of Psychiatry)

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Eye movements support behavioral pattern completion (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America)

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