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| Research article summary (published 6 Aug 2008): |
Repeated heroin in rats produces locomotor sensitization and enhances appetitive Pavlovian and instrumental learning involving food reward.
Full Abstract
We tested the hypothesis that sensitization to heroin enhances appetitive motivational processes involving food reward. In Experiment 1, sixteen rats were exposed to positive pairings of a light stimulus and food for 4 consecutive daily sessions. Then, the rats received either saline or heroin (2 mg/kg) injections before placement in activity monitors for 9 consecutive daily sessions. Rats were then tested in operant conditioning chambers where one lever produced the light stimulus previously paired with food and another lever produced a tone stimulus not paired with anything. Heroin produced both significant progressive increases in locomotor activity (sensitization) and significantly enhanced conditioned reinforcement of instrumental lever pressing by the food-associated stimulus. In Experiment 2, thirty-two rats were given Pavlovian discrimination training in a conditioned magazine approach task where one stimulus was associated with food and a second unpaired with food. Rats then received repeated saline or heroin injections as in Experiment 1, before being tested under extinction conditions with the two stimuli without the drug. Chronic heroin had no effect on performance in this test, but it facilitated learning of the reversed discrimination in a subsequent phase. These data suggest that sensitization to heroin enhances appetitive motivational processes involving food reward.
Author information
Author/s: Ranaldi, Robert (R); Egan, Jonathan (J); Kest, Karen (K); Fein, Matthew (M); Delamater, Andrew R (AR);
Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Queens College/City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, USA. Robert.Ranaldi(-atsign-)qc.cuny.edu
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Journal: Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior (Pharmacol Biochem Behav), published in United States. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2009-Jan; vol 91 (issue 3) : pp 351-7
Dates: Created 2008/12/19; Completed 2009/04/02;
PMID: 18755208, status: MEDLINE (last retrieved date: 4/2/2009)
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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Associated Chemicals: Narcotics (0) ; Heroin (561-27-3)Related articles
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