Cues paired with either rapid or slower self-administered cocaine injections acquire similar conditioned rewarding properties.

ABSTRACT: The faster drugs of abuse reach the brain, the more addictive they can be. It is not known why this is. Environmental stimuli associated with drugs can promote the development and persistence of addiction by invigorating and precipitating drug-seeking behaviour. We determined, therefore, whether cues associated with the self-administration of rapidly delivered cocaine (injected intravenously over 5 versus 90 seconds) would acquire greater conditioned rewarding properties, as assessed by the performance of an operant response reinforced solely by the cues. Rats nose-poked for intravenous cocaine infusions delivered either over 5 or 90 seconds. Discrete visual cues accompanied each infusion. The rats could then press a lever to obtain the cues--now a conditioned reward--or an inactive lever.

SUBMITTER: Samaha AN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3198427 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature