The present study is the first to use optogenetic inhibition to examine the neural circuitry underlying reinstated drug seeking and demonstrates that optogenetically inhibiting neurons in the PL or NAcore, or PL axons terminating in the NAcore prevents the reinstatement of cocaine seeking. This finding validates previous claims using pharmacological inhibition of the NAcore and PL that this projection is critical to reinstated cocaine seeking (see Introduction) and demonstrates the utility of optogenetic inhibition for characterizing the neural circuitry underlying cocaine seeking in greater detail than was previously possible using pharmacological inhibition or electrical stimulation.
