Methamphetamine self-administration produces attentional set-shifting deficits and alters prefrontal cortical neurophysiology in rats.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Chronic methamphetamine abusers exhibit deficits in tasks requiring intact prefrontal cortex function, and prefrontal cortex dysfunction has been implicated in the loss of control over drug use. This study used a combination of behavioral and electrophysiologic assessments in rats with a history of long access methamphetamine self-administration to determine methamphetamine-induced changes in prefrontal cortex-dependent attentional set-shifting performance, drug-seeking, and prefrontal cortex neuronal activity.

Methods

Male Long-Evans rats self-administered methamphetamine (.02 mg/infusion, intravenous) or received yoked saline infusions for 6 hours a day for 14 days. Cognitive flexibility was assessed using an attentional set-shifting task before 2 weeks of self-

SUBMITTER: Parsegian A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3052930 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature