Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Assessment of Cocaine-induced Behavioral Sensitization and Conditioned Place Preference in Mice
Published on: February 18, 2016
Increased motivation for self-administered cocaine after escalated cocaine intake
Neil E Paterson1, Athina Markou
1Department of Neuropharmacology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Abstract:
Escalation in cocaine self-administration is hypothesized to involve increased motivation to consume cocaine. The present study determined the effects of escalated cocaine self-administration in rats on the cocaine dose-response function under a progressive ratio schedule. Two groups of rats were allowed to self-administer cocaine under a fixed ratio schedule, for 1 h (ShA; n = 7) or 6 h (LgA; n = 6) per day. The subjects were then allowed to self-administer five doses of cocaine (0, 0.031, 0.063, 0.125 and 0.25 mg/infusion) under a progressive ratio schedule. The dose-response function was shifted upwards in the LgA compared to the ShA group. In conclusion, the present data suggest that escalation in cocaine self-administration is associated with a significant increase in the incentive motivational value of self-administered cocaine.
Related Concept Videos
Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents
One mechanism involves depleting stored catecholamines by displacing them from synaptic vesicles. These agents, known as "displacers," are transported into vesicles at the expense of noradrenaline. Examples include amphetamine and tyramine, which lack a catechol moiety, resulting in prolonged action, improved oral bioavailability, and...
CNS Stimulants: Cocaine, Amphetamines and Cannabinoids
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena
Stimulants
Cocaine can be administered via snorting, injection, or smoking. It primarily functions by blocking the reuptake of dopamine, resulting in a euphoric high characterized by an intense sensation of happiness and...
Desensitization and Tachyphylaxis
Several...
Drug Dependence

