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Updated: Jul 15, 2026

A General Method for Evaluating Deep Brain Stimulation Effects on Intravenous Methamphetamine Self-Administration
Published on: January 22, 2016
Reduction in methamphetamine induced sensitization and reinstatement after combined pergolide plus ondansetron
Colin Davidson1, Rupa Gopalan, Cassandra Ahn
1Psychiatry, Box 3870, Duke University Medical Center, NC 27710, United States. colda@duke.edu
Abstract:
We have previously found the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron to be useful in reducing cocaine self-administration and cocaine induced sensitization in rats when given during cocaine withdrawal. More recently we have found the combination of the dopamine agonist pergolide plus ondansetron, 3.5 h later, to reverse cocaine sensitization and associated changes in NMDA and AMPA receptors. Here we tested this drug combination in 1) a methamphetamine sensitization model and 2) a reinstatement model after intravenous methamphetamine self-administration using a nose-poke task. We found pergolide plus ondansetron given from days 3-7 of methamphetamine withdrawal to reverse methamphetamine induced sensitization and attenuate reinstatement. We hypothesize that pergolide may evoke a methamphetamine associated memory and that ondansetron can disrupt its reconsolidation. These data suggest that pergolide plus ondansetron treatment may be useful as a therapy to reduce relapse in methamphetamine abusers.
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