Dopamine β-hydroxylase inhibitors enhance the discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine in rats.

ABSTRACT: Inhibitors of dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH), the enzyme that converts dopamine (DA) to norepinephrine (NE) in noradrenergic cells, have shown promise for the treatment of cocaine abuse disorders. However, the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of these compounds have not been fully elucidated. We used the drug discrimination paradigm to determine the impact of DBH inhibitors on the interoceptive stimulus properties of cocaine. Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate cocaine (5.6 mg/kg) from saline using a multicomponent, food-reinforced discrimination procedure. On test days, subjects were pretreated with the nonselective DBH inhibitor disulfiram (0-100.0 mg/kg i.p.) or the selective DBH inhibitor nepicastat (0-56.0 mg/kg i.p.) 2 hours prior to a test session either alone

SUBMITTER: Manvich DF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3836309 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature