Nitrous oxide exerts rewarding effect via regulating D1 receptor and BDNF pathway in ventral tegmental area-nucleus accumbens dopamine circuit
Translational Psychiatry January 29, 2025 Wen-Qi Li, Sheng-Nan Liu, Sichang Yang et al.
Recreational use of nitrous oxide (N2O) has risen dramatically over the past decades. This study aimed to examine its rewarding effect and the underlying mechanisms. The exposure of mice to a subanesthetic concentration (20%) of N2O for 30 min for 4 consecutive days paired with N2O in the morning and paired with the air in the afternoon produced apparent rewarding behavior in the conditioned...