[The intravenous self-administration of narcotics in mice]

Four commonly and largely abused drugs morphine, cocaine, amphetamine, cathinone and sympathomimetic ephedrine were investigated, using intravenous self-administration by naive mice, with special regard to methodological aspects of these techniques. All drugs showed a similar bell-shaped concentration response curves, which are typical of compounds with high addictive potential. A new method of analysis of the reinforcing properties allowing to disregard motor side effects of drugs nas been proposed. Procedure and analysis aspects of described techniques as well as the possibilities of its application for screening of addictive substances are discussed.