Chemogenetic suppression of glutamatergic synaptic afferents from the mPFC to the NAc core improves C48/80-induced scratching. A, Schematic illustration of virus injection and the guide cannula implantation. B, Schematic diagram of the time line for the experiment. C, Representative brain section shows the expression of hM4Di-mCherry in the PFC and hM4Di-mCherry-containing terminals in the NAc core. aca, anterior commissure, anterior part. D, Viral spread of AAV-CamKIIα-hM4D1-mCherry and AAV-CaMKIIα-mCherry in C57Bl/6 mice. E, Summary bar graph shows that local microinjections of CNO (1 μm) into the NAc core reduces scratching behaviors evoked by C48/80 (n = 10–11 mice, F_{(interaction 1,19)} = 36.98, p < 0.0001; F_{(drug 1,19)} = 43.78, p < 0.001; F_{(virus 1,19)} = 25.08, ***p < 0.001). F, The EPMT shows that inhibition of PFC glutamatergic terminals in the NAc does not change the time spent in open arms in mice treated with C48/80 (F_{(interaction 1,19)} = 2.629, p = 0.1214; F_{(drug 1,19)} = 1.576, p = 0.2246; F_{(virus 1,19)} = 0.08392, p = 0.7752). G, Same as F for summary of the open arms entries (F_{(interaction 1,19)} = 2.789, p = 0.1113; F_{(drug 1,19)} = 1.513, p = 0.2337; F_{(virus 1,19)} = 0.5778, p = 0.4565). H, The OFT shows that inhibition of PFC glutamatergic terminals in the NAc does not change the time spent in central zone in mice treated with C48/80 (F_{(interaction 1,19)} = 4342, p = 0.5178; F_{(drug 1,19)} = 0.08039, p = 0.7798; F_{(virus 1,19)} = 2.023, p = 0.1712). I, Same as H for summary of the travel distance on the OF (F_{(interaction 1,19)} = 0.2559, p = 0.6187; F_{(drug 1,19)} = 3.341, p = 0.0833).