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. 2022 May 17;47(8):1473–1483. doi: 10.1038/s41386-022-01342-0

Fig. 3. Optogenetic inhibition of the dCA3 without memory reactivation fails to alter cocaine-memory strength or dCA3 neuronal activation at test.

Fig. 3

A Timeline for experiment 3. Following cocaine self-administration and extinction training, eNpHR3.0-expressing rats remained in their home cages (i.e., no memory reactivation), then received Laser-ON (n = 7) or Laser-OFF (n = 7) treatment for 1 h. Lastly, rats received test sessions in the extinction and cocaine-paired contexts to assess extinction- and cocaine-memory strength, respectively. B Rats did not receive a memory reactivation session. C Active-lever presses upon first post-treatment re-exposure to the extinction and cocaine-paired contexts at test (mean/2 h ± SEM). Symbol: ANOVA #context main effect, p < 0.001. D Time-course of active-lever presses in the cocaine-paired context at test (mean/20-min interval ± SEM). Symbol: ANOVA †time main effect, Tukey’s tests, interval 1 > intervals 2-6, ps < 0.05. E Rats did not receive a memory reactivation session. F Inactive-lever presses (mean ± SEM) upon first post-treatment re-exposure to the extinction and cocaine-paired contexts at test (mean/2 h ± SEM). G Time-course of inactive-lever presses in the cocaine-paired context at test (mean/20-min interval ± SEM). Symbol: ANOVA †time main effect, intervals 1 > intervals 4-6, ps < 0.05. H Representative 10x photomicrographs of the dCA3 stratum lucidum (SL) and stratum pyramidale (SP) of rats in the Laser-OFF and Laser-ON groups. Brain tissue was collected immediately after the test session in the cocaine-paired context. Images showing DAPI staining (blue) were used to visualize SL and SP boundaries (see also Fig. S1), and corresponding overlay images were used to visualize eNpHR3.0-eYFP expression (green) and c-Fos immunoreactive (IR) cell bodies (red, arrows). I The density of c-Fos-immunoreactive (IR) neurons was quantified in the area indicated by the blue rectangle on the brain schematic. c-Fos-IR cell body density (mean ± SEM) in the SL and SP of rats in the Laser-ON and Laser-OFF groups.