scholarly journals Taking rapid and intermittent cocaine infusions enhances both incentive motivation for the drug and cocaine-induced gene regulation in corticostriatal regions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellie-Anna Minogianis ◽  
Anne-Noël Samaha
Keyword(s):  
Gene Regulation ◽  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Incentive Motivation ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Behavioural Plasticity ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Drug Induced ◽  
Intermittent Access ◽  
Long Access

ABSTRACTA goal in addiction research is to distinguish forms of neuroplasticity that are involved in the transition to addiction from those involved in mere drug taking. Animal models of drug self-administration are essential in this context. Here, we compared in male rats two cocaine self-administration procedures that differ in the extent to which they evoke addiction-like behaviours. We measured both incentive motivation for cocaine using progressive ratio procedures, and cocaine-induced c-fos mRNA expression, a marker of neuronal activity. Rats self-administered intravenous cocaine (0.25 mg/kg/infusion) for seven daily 6-hour sessions. One group had intermittent access (IntA; 6 minutes ON, 26 minutes OFF x 12) to rapid infusions (delivered over 5 seconds). This models the temporal kinetics of human cocaine use and produces robust addiction-like behaviour. The other group had Long access (LgA) to slower infusions (90 seconds). This produces high levels of intake without promoting robust addiction-like behaviour. LgA-90s rats took twice as much cocaine as IntA-5s rats did, but IntA-5s rats showed greater incentive motivation for the drug. Following a final self-administration session, we quantified c-fos mRNA expression in corticostriatal regions. Compared to LgA-90s rats, IntA-5s rats had more cocaine-induced c-fos mRNA in the orbitofrontal and prelimbic cortices and the caudate-putamen. Thus, a cocaine self-administration procedure (intermittent intake of rapid infusions) that promotes increased incentive motivation for the drug also enhances cocaine-induced gene regulation in corticostriatal regions. This suggests that increased drug-induced recruitment of these regions could contribute to the neural and behavioural plasticity underlying the transition to addiction.

scholarly journals Sex differences in cocaine self-administration behaviour under Long Access versus Intermittent Access conditions

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hajer Algallal ◽  
Florence Allain ◽  
Ndeye Aissatou Ndiaye ◽  
Anne-Noel Samaha
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Incentive Motivation ◽  
Cocaine Addiction ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Locomotor Sensitization ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Cocaine Use ◽  
Intermittent Access ◽  
Long Access

A widely accepted rodent model to study cocaine addiction involves allowing animals continuous access to drug during long self-administration sessions (Long-access or LgA). This produces continuously high brain concentrations of drug during each session. This might not model the pharmacokinetics of cocaine use in experienced human users, which are thought to involve intermittently spiking brain cocaine concentrations within and between bouts of use. Intermittent-access (IntA) cocaine self-administration models this spiking pattern in rats. IntA is also particularly effective in increasing incentive motivation for drug. Most IntA studies have been conducted in male rats. Both humans and non-human animals can show sex differences in all phases of the addiction process. We compared cocaine use in female and male rats that self-administered the drug (0.25 mg/kg/injection, i.v.) during 10 daily, 6-h LgA or IntA sessions. Cocaine intake was greatest under LgA, and female LgA rats escalated their intake. However, only IntA rats (both sexes) developed locomotor sensitization to self-administered cocaine and sensitization was greatest in the females. Five and 25 days after the last self-administration session, we quantified incentive motivation for cocaine by measuring breakpoints for the drug (0.083-0.75 mg/kg/injection) under progressive ratio. Breakpoints were similar in IntA and LgA rats. There were no sex differences in breakpoints under LgA. However, under IntA, females reached higher breakpoints for cocaine than males. Thus, LgA might be best suited to study sex differences in cocaine intake, while IntA might be best suited to study sex differences in incentive motivational processes in cocaine addiction.

scholarly journals D-amphetamine maintenance therapy reduces cocaine use in female rats

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ndeye Aissatou Ndiaye ◽  
Florence Allain ◽  
Anne-Noel Samaha
Keyword(s):  
Maintenance Therapy ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Cocaine Addiction ◽  
Female Rats ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Ratio Schedule ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Cocaine Use ◽  
Intermittent Access ◽  
Amphetamine Treatment

Currently, there are no approved medications to treat cocaine addiction. In this context, d-amphetamine maintenance therapy is a promising pharmacological strategy to reduce cocaine use. In both male rats and human cocaine users, d-amphetamine treatment reduces cocaine taking and seeking. However, this has not been examined systematically in female animals, even though cocaine addiction afflicts both women and men, and the sexes can differ in their response to cocaine. Here, we determined how d-amphetamine maintenance therapy during cocaine self-administration influences cocaine use in female rats. In experiment 1, two groups of female rats received 14 intermittent access (IntA) cocaine self-administration sessions. One group received concomitant d-amphetamine maintenance treatment (COC + A rats; 5 mg/kg/day, via minipump), the other group did not (COC rats) After discontinuing d-amphetamine treatment, we measured responding for cocaine under a progressive ratio schedule, responding under extinction and cocaine-primed reinstatement of drug seeking. In experiment 2, we assessed the effects of d-amphetamine maintenance on these measures in already cocaine-experienced rats. To this end, rats first received 14 IntA cocaine self-administration sessions without d-amphetamine. They then received 14 more sessions now either with (COC/COC + A rats) or without (COC/COC rats) concomitant d-amphetamine treatment. In both experiments, d-amphetamine-treated rats showed reduced motivation to take and seek cocaine, responding less for cocaine both under progressive ratio and extinction conditions. In contrast, d-amphetamine treatment did not influence cocaine-primed reinstatement of cocaine seeking. Thus, d-amphetamine treatment reduces both the development and expression of addiction-relevant patterns of cocaine use in female animals.

scholarly journals Intermittent self-administration of fentanyl induces a multifaceted addiction state associated with persistent changes in the orexin system

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer E. Fragale ◽  
Morgan H. James ◽  
Gary Aston-Jones
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Economics ◽  
Receptor Antagonist ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Opioid Addiction ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Drug Seeking ◽  
Intermittent Access ◽  
Long Access

AbstractThe orexin (hypocretin) system plays a critical role in motivated drug-taking. Cocaine self-administration with the intermittent access (IntA) procedure produces a robust addiction-like state that is orexin-dependent. Here, we sought to determine the role of the orexin system in opioid addiction using IntA self-administration of fentanyl. Different groups of male rats were either given continuous access in 1h (short access; ShA), or 6h periods (long access, LgA), or IntA (5min of access separated by 25min of no-access) to fentanyl for 14 days. IntA produced a greater escalation of fentanyl intake, motivation for fentanyl on a behavioral economics task, persistent drug seeking during abstinence, and cued-induced reinstatement compared to rats given ShA or LgA. We found that addiction behaviors induced by IntA to fentanyl were reversed by the orexin-1 receptor antagonist SB-334867. IntA to fentanyl was also associated with a persistent increase in the number of orexin-expressing neurons. Together, results indicate that the IntA model is a useful tool in the study of opioid addiction, and that the orexin system is critical for the maintenance of addiction behaviors induced by IntA self-administration of fentanyl.

scholarly journals Incentive and dopamine sensitization produced by intermittent but not long access cocaine self-administration

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex B. Kawa ◽  
Alec C. Valenta ◽  
Robert T. Kennedy ◽  
Terry E. Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Nucleus Accumbens ◽  
Drug Use ◽  
In Vivo Microdialysis ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
The Core ◽  
Intermittent Access ◽  
High Motivation ◽  
Long Access

Recent studies suggest that the temporal pattern of drug use (pharmacokinetics) has a profound effect on the ability of self-administered cocaine to produce addiction-like behavior in rodents, and to change the brain. To further address this issue, we compared the effects of Long Access (LgA) cocaine self-administration, which is widely used to model the transition to addiction, with Intermittent Access (IntA), which is thought to better reflect the pattern of drug use in humans, on the ability of self-administered cocaine to increase dopamine (DA) overflow in the core of the nucleus accumbens (using in vivo microdialysis), and to produce addiction-like behavior. IntA experience was more effective than LgA in producing addiction-like behavior- a drug experience-dependent increase in motivation for cocaine assessed using behavioral economic procedures, and cue-induced reinstatement, despite much less total drug consumption. There were no group differences in basal levels of DA in dialysate, but a single self-administered IV injection of cocaine increased DA in the core of the nucleus accumbens to a greater extent in rats with prior IntA experience than those with LgA or Short Access (ShA) experience, and the latter two groups did not differ. Furthermore, high motivation for cocaine was associated with a high DA response. Thus, IntA, but not LgA, produced both incentive and DA sensitization. This is consistent with the notion that a hyper-responsive dopaminergic system may contribute to the transition from casual patterns of drug use to the problematic patterns that define addiction.

scholarly journals Relapse-like behavior and nAChR sensitization following intermittent access nicotine self-administration

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Drenan ◽  
Xiao-Tao Jin ◽  
Brenton Tucker ◽  
Leanne Thomas ◽  
Noah Walker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tobacco Consumption ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Blood Levels ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Interpeduncular Nucleus ◽  
Nicotine Intake ◽  
Positron Emission ◽  
Intermittent Access ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Incubation Of Craving

Many tobacco smokers consume nicotine intermittently, but the underlying mechanisms and neurobiological changes associated with intermittent nicotine intake are unclear. Understanding intermittent nicotine intake is a high priority, as it could promote therapeutic strategies to attenuate tobacco consumption. We examined nicotine intake behavior and neurobiological changes in male rats that were trained to self-administer nicotine during brief (5 min) trials interspersed with longer (15 min) drug-free periods. Rats readily adapted to intermittent access (IntA) SA following acquisition on a continuous access (ContA) schedule. Probabilistic analysis of IntA nicotine SA suggested reduced nicotine loading behavior compared to ContA, and nicotine pharmacokinetic modeling revealed that rats taking nicotine intermittently may have increased intake to maintain blood levels of nicotine that are comparable to ContA SA. After IntA nicotine SA, rats exhibited an increase in unreinforced responses for nicotine-associated cues (incubation of craving) and specific alterations in the striatal proteome after 7 days without nicotine. IntA nicotine SA also induced nAChR functional upregulation in the interpeduncular nucleus (IPN), and it enhanced nicotine binding in the brain as determined via [11C]nicotine positron emission tomography. Reducing the saliency of the cue conditions during the 5 min access periods attenuated nicotine intake, but incubation of craving was preserved. Together, these results indicate that IntA conditions promote nicotine SA and nicotine seeking after a nicotine-free period.

scholarly journals Activation of G-protein Coupled Estradiol Receptor 1 in the Dorsolateral Striatum Enhances Motivation for Cocaine and Drug-Induced Reinstatement in Female Rats

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Quigley ◽  
Molly K. Logsdon ◽  
Brianna C. Graham ◽  
Kendra G. Beaudoin ◽  
Jill B Becker
Keyword(s):  
G Protein ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Female Rats ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Ratio Schedule ◽  
Drug Induced ◽  
Drug Seeking ◽  
Schedule Of Reinforcement ◽  
Estradiol Receptor ◽  
G Protein Coupled

Abstract BackgroundEstradiol potentiates drug-taking behaviors, including motivation to self-administer cocaine and reinstatement of drug-seeking after extinction in females, but not males. The dorsolateral stratum (DLS) is a region of the brain implicated in mediating drug-seeking behaviors and more specifically, is a target brain area to study how estradiol regulates these behaviors. The estradiol receptors α, β, and G-protein coupled estradiol receptor 1 (GPER1) are all present in the DLS. In this study the effects of activating GPER1 in the DLS on drug-seeking are investigated. MethodsGonad-intact male and female rats were trained to self-administer cocaine (0.4 mg/kg/inf) on an fixed-ratio 1 schedule of reinforcement. For four weeks, animals underwent testing on a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement to determine their motivation to attain cocaine. Halfway through progressive ratio testing, a selective agonist targeting GPER1 (G1) was administered intra-DLS to determine the contribution of GPER1 activation on motivation for cocaine. The effects of intra-GPER1 activation on drug-induced reinstatement after extinction was subsequently determined. ResultsActivation of GPER1, via G1 administration intra-DLS potentiated females’ motivation to self-administer cocaine. There was no effect of prior G1 treatment on extinction of cocaine-taking in females, however, G1 treatment resulted in greater drug-induced reinstatement (10 mg/kg cocaine, i.p.). There were no effects of intra-DLS GPER1 activation observed on motivation for cocaine or cocaine-induced reinstatement of responding in males. Conclusions These results support the conclusion that activation of GPER1 in the DLS enhances cocaine seeking behaviors for female, but not male rats.

scholarly journals 7,8-Dihydroxyflavone Enhances Cue-Conditioned Alcohol Reinstatement in Rats

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel J. Hogarth ◽  
Elvan Djouma ◽  
Maarten van den Buuse
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Ethanol Exposure ◽  
Ethanol Solution ◽  
Female Rats ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Sprague Dawley ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Bdnf Expression ◽  
Sprague Dawley Rats

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a detrimental disease that develops through chronic ethanol exposure. Reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression has been associated with AUD and alcohol addiction, however the effects of activation of BDNF signalling in the brain on voluntary alcohol intake reinstatement and relapse are unknown. We therefore trained male and female Sprague Dawley rats in operant chambers to self-administer a 10% ethanol solution. Following baseline acquisition and progressive ratio (PR) analysis, rats were split into drug and vehicle groups during alcohol lever extinction. The animals received two weeks of daily IP injection of either the BDNF receptor, TrkB, agonist, 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (7,8-DHF), or vehicle. During acquisition of alcohol self-administration, males had significantly higher absolute numbers of alcohol-paired lever presses and a higher PR breakpoint. However, after adjusting for body weight, the amount of ethanol was not different between the sexes and the PR breakpoint was higher in females than males. Following extinction, alcohol-primed reinstatement in male rats was not altered by pretreatment with 7,8-DHF when adjusted for body weight. In contrast, in female rats, the weight-adjusted potential amount of ethanol, but not absolute numbers of active lever presses, was significantly enhanced by 7,8-DHF treatment during reinstatement. Analysis of spontaneous locomotor activity in automated photocell cages suggested that the effect of 7,8-DHF was not associated with hyperactivity. These results suggest that stimulation of the TrkB receptor may contribute to reward craving and relapse in AUD, particularly in females.

Effects of an acute cannabidiol treatment on cocaine self-administration and cue-induced cocaine seeking in male rats

2016 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashraf Mahmud ◽  
Stephanie Gallant ◽  
Firas Sedki ◽  
Tracey D’Cunha ◽  
Uri Shalev
Keyword(s):  
Elevated Plus Maze ◽  
Anxiolytic Effect ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Schedule Of Reinforcement ◽  
Cocaine Seeking ◽  
Therapeutic Value ◽  
Plus Maze ◽  
Wide Range

Cannabidiol is a non-psychoactive compound that is the second most abundant component of cannabis. It has been shown to have a potential therapeutic value for a wide range of disorders, including anxiety, psychosis, and depression. Recently, it was suggested that cannabidiol might be a potential treatment for heroin craving and relapse. Here we investigated the effects of an acute treatment with cannabidiol on cocaine self-administration and cue-induced cocaine seeking in rats. Rats were trained to press a lever to self-administer cocaine (0.5 mg/kg/infusion), first under a fixed interval 20 s (FI-20 s) and then under a progressive ratio (PR) schedule of reinforcement. Cocaine self-administration under a PR schedule of reinforcement was not attenuated by cannabidiol injections (5.0 mg/kg and 10.0 mg/kg; i.p.) when tested 30 min and 24 h after treatment. Cannabidiol treatment (5.0 mg/kg or 10.0 mg/kg) also did not attenuate cue-induced cocaine seeking in rats after a withdrawal period of 14 days. In contrast, treatment with cannabidiol (10.0 mg/kg; i.p.) resulted in a statistically significant anxiolytic effect in the elevated plus-maze. Our findings suggest that, under the conditions described here, an acute cannabidiol treatment has a minimal effect on a rat model of cocaine intake and relapse.

scholarly journals Intermittent access cocaine self-administration produces psychomotor sensitization: effects of withdrawal, sex and cross-sensitization

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Crystal C. Carr ◽  
Carrie R. Ferrario ◽  
Terry E. Robinson
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Plasticity ◽  
Cocaine Addiction ◽  
Preclinical Model ◽  
Self Administration ◽  
Stimulant Drug ◽  
Incentive Sensitization ◽  
Intermittent Access ◽  
Psychomotor Sensitization ◽  
Long Access ◽  
Addiction Drug

AbstractThe psychomotor activating effects of drugs such as cocaine or amphetamine can change in very different ways – showing sensitization or tolerance – depending on whether they are administered more or less intermittently. This behavioral plasticity is thought to reflect, at least in part, changes in dopamine (DA) neurotransmission, and therefore, may provide insights into how repeated drug use promotes the development of substance use disorders. Indeed, the most widely used preclinical model of cocaine addiction, which involves Long Access (LgA) self-administration procedures, is reported to produce tolerance to cocaine’s psychomotor activating effects and effects on DA activity. This is cited as evidence in support of the view that in addiction, drug-seeking and-taking is motivated to overcome this DA deficiency and associated anhedonia. In contrast, Intermittent Access (IntA) cocaine self-administration is more effective than LgA in producing addiction-like behavior, but sensitizes DA neurotransmission. There is, however, very little information concerning the effects of IntA experience on the psychomotor activating effects of cocaine. The purpose of the studies reported here, therefore, was to determine whether IntA experience produces psychomotor sensitization with similar characteristics to that produced by the intermittent, noncontingent administration of cocaine. It did. The psychomotor sensitization produced by IntA experience with cocaine: (1) was greater after a long (30 days) vs short (1 day) period of withdrawal; (2) was greater in females than males; and (3) resulted in cross-sensitization to another psychomotor stimulant drug, amphetamine. This pattern of cocaine experience-dependent plasticity favors an incentive-sensitization view of addiction.

scholarly journals The gut microbiome is associated with cocaine behavior and predicts addiction vulnerability in adult male rats

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Greg J Suess ◽  
Jennysue Kasiah ◽  
Sierra Simpson ◽  
Molly Brennan ◽  
Dana Conlisk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Adult Male ◽  
Beta Diversity ◽  
Progressive Ratio ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
16S Rrna Genes ◽  
Rrna Genes ◽  
Linear Discriminant ◽  
Long Access ◽  
High Responders

The gut-brain axis is a bi-directional communication system through which microbial communities in the gut interact with the nervous system. Disruptions in microbiome composition, known as dysbiosis, appear to be associated with neuropsychiatric disorders, perhaps including drug abuse. This study used behavioral data and biological samples from the Cocaine Biobank to test the hypothesis that the gut microbiota can predict and reflect susceptibility to cocaine reinforcement. Adult male heterogenous (HS) rats were catheterized and allowed to self-administer cocaine in daily short-access sessions (2 hr/day, 10 days, 0.5 mg/kg per intravenous infusion), followed by progressive ratio (PR) testing. Rats were transitioned to daily long-access sessions (6 hr/day, 14 days), followed by a PR test and alternating blocks of footshock testing, long-access, and PR. Fecal samples were collected at three time points and bacterial 16s rRNA genes were sequenced to profile the microbiota and compare low vs. high responders to cocaine. Bacterial taxa identified in baseline samples in drug-naive animals were used to test whether specific bacterial abundance could predict future cocaine susceptibility. As expected, levels of cocaine-related behavior varied across individual subjects, such that a quartile split identified low and high responders on each measure, as well as an overall addiction index. Although beta diversity in the gut microbiota at baseline and after short access did not predict membership in high or low addiction quartiles, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) identified certain taxa that were more robustly represented in either low or high responders. Beta diversity after long access did reveal a difference in microbiota profiles between low and high responders, and LDA identified specific populations that differed between groups. Plotting baseline samples identified using LDA on a Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve revealed that high relative abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila predicted future low response rates. This study is the first to report that microbiota variability reflects levels of cocaine intake and that the microbiota might facilitate diagnosis and identify risk factors predictive of future drug vulnerability.

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