Sensitization to the reinforcing effects of cocaine following binge-abstinent self-administration |
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Authors: | Morgan Drake Roberts David C S |
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Institution: | Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, USA |
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Abstract: | The process of addiction in humans involves a transition from recreational drug use to compulsive drug-taking. To understand or study this behavioral phenomenon from a neurobiological perspective, behavioral models that reflect this process are necessary. Data from typical (restricted access) self-administration procedures demonstrate a stable pattern of responding over time, and thus fail to capture the transitional phases of this process. Here we describe the development of a model that incorporates self-administration-induced changes in the reinforcing efficacy of cocaine, assessed using a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement to probe the ‘motivational’ state of the animal. To date we have identified two necessary conditions for the development of this sensitization: extended access to cocaine and a deprivation period. This model, in conjunction with recently developed tools to characterize neurochemical and epigenetic changes, will provide a better understanding of the neurobiological bases of the addiction process. |
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Keywords: | Cocaine Sensitization Progressive ratio Discrete trial Schedule of reinforcement Addiction Withdrawal Abstinence Incubation Tolerance |
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