Role of individual and developmental differences in voluntary cocaine intake in rats.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Early-onset drug taking is associated with increased likelihood of addiction, but it is unclear whether early onset is causal in development of addiction. Many other factors are associated with increased risk of addiction and also promote early intake. Here, a rodent model is used to explore the causality of early onset in development of self-administration and addiction-like behavior and to examine factors that promote self-administration.

Methods

We used cocaine self-administration to examine drug taking and addiction-like behavior in adolescent and adult rats a priori characterized for their locomotor responses to novelty and cocaine and behavior in the light-dark task.

Results

Adolescent animals initially sought more cocaine than adults. However, as the

SUBMITTER: Schramm-Sapyta NL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3187717 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature