University of Sussex
Browse

File(s) not publicly available

Effect of dopamine receptor antagonists on renewal of cocaine seeking by reexposure to drug-associated contextual cues

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 18:34 authored by Hans CrombagHans Crombag, Jeffrey W Grimm, Yavin Shaham
We recently found that in rats trained to self-administer a heroin-cocaine mixture, exposure to the drug self-administration environment, after extinction of the drug-reinforced behavior in a different context, leads to renewal of drug seeking. Here we further explored the role of contextual stimuli in drug seeking by characterizing the effect of drug-associated environmental stimuli on renewal of cocaine seeking. We also investigated whether activation of dopamine receptors contributes to context-induced renewal of cocaine seeking by testing the effects of selective D1-like (SCH 23390) and D2-like (raclopride) receptor antagonists. Rats were trained for 10 days to self-administer cocaine by pressing a lever. Next, lever pressing was extinguished in the presence of the discrete cues associated with cocaine infusions for 10 days in a context that was distinctively different from the drug-taking context. On the test days, rats were pretreated with SCH 23390 (0, 5 or 10 g/kg) or raclopride (0, 50 or 100 g/kg) and non-reinforced lever-pressing behavior was determined either in the extinction context (Control group) or the cocaine-associated context (Renewal group). Consistent with our previous report, cocaine seeking was renewed when rats were exposed to the drug-associated context after extinction in a different context. Furthermore, pretreatment with the D1-like or the D2-like receptor antagonists attenuated context-induced renewal of cocaine seeking. These data suggest that activation of dopamine receptors is involved in reinstatement of cocaine seeking induced by exposure to the drug self-administration context.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

Neuropsychopharmacology

ISSN

0893-133X

Issue

6

Volume

27

Page range

1006-1015

Department affiliated with

  • Psychology Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-06

Usage metrics

    University of Sussex (Publications)

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC