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Methods for Intravenous Self Administration in a Mouse Model
Published on: December 8, 2012
Cocaine self-administration improves performance in a highly demanding water maze task
N Del Olmo1, A Higuera-Matas, M Miguéns
1Departamento Psicobiología, Facultad de Psicología, UNED, C/ Juan del Rosal no 10, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
Psychopharmacology
|July 21, 2007
Summary
Cocaine self-administration enhances spatial learning and memory in rats on difficult water maze tasks. This effect was observed only when the task demanded significant working memory or consolidation during intertrial intervals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Pharmacology
Background:
- Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a key cellular mechanism for learning and memory.
- Previous studies linked LTP to spatial learning, but cocaine's effect on this was unclear.
- Prior research showed cocaine modulated hippocampal LTP but didn't alter spatial learning in a simple water maze.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if cocaine self-administration enhances spatial learning in a more challenging water maze task.
- To determine if a more difficult task could reveal effects masked by simpler tasks.
Main Methods:
- Rats self-administered cocaine (1 mg/kg) or saline for 22 days.
- Spatial learning was assessed using a difficult water maze task with specific intertrial intervals.
- Spatial memory, reversal learning, and perseverance were also evaluated.
Main Results:
- Cocaine-exposed rats showed faster learning (reduced latency) in the water maze.
- Cocaine-exposed rats demonstrated improved spatial memory retention.
- No significant differences were found in reversal learning or perseverance between groups.
Conclusions:
- Cocaine self-administration can facilitate spatial learning and memory.
- This facilitation is evident in demanding tasks requiring working memory or consolidation.
- The findings highlight the importance of task difficulty in revealing drug-induced cognitive effects.
