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Updated: Jul 26, 2026
10:28
Assessment of Cocaine-induced Behavioral Sensitization and Conditioned Place Preference in Mice
Published on: February 18, 2016
Drug seeking becomes compulsive after prolonged cocaine self-administration
Louk J M J Vanderschuren1, Barry J Everitt
1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK. l.j.m.j.vanderschuren@med.uu.nl
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|August 18, 2004
Summary
Rats with extensive cocaine use continued seeking drugs despite negative cues, unlike those with limited use or extensive sugar use. This suggests a shift towards compulsive drug seeking behavior in addiction.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Compulsive drug use despite adverse consequences is a key feature of addiction.
- Preclinical evidence for the transition from casual to compulsive drug use is limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the progression of drug seeking behavior in rats.
- To determine if extended cocaine self-administration leads to compulsive behavior.
Main Methods:
- Rats underwent limited or extended cocaine self-administration.
- Rats also underwent extended sucrose self-administration for comparison.
- An aversive conditioned stimulus was used to suppress drug/sucrose seeking.
Main Results:
- An aversive stimulus suppressed cocaine seeking in rats with limited experience.
- This suppression was lost after extended cocaine self-administration.
- Sucrose seeking remained suppressed by the aversive stimulus even after extended intake.
- Persistent cocaine seeking was not linked to impaired fear conditioning or increased cocaine incentive value.
Conclusions:
- Extended cocaine self-administration in rats can lead to compulsive drug seeking behavior.
- This compulsive behavior persists despite adverse cues and is distinct from natural reward seeking.
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