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Updated: May 29, 2026
04:11
A Conditioned Place Preference Protocol for Measuring Incubation of Craving in Rats
Published on: November 6, 2018
Decreases in brain reward function reflect nicotine- and methamphetamine-withdrawal aversion in rats
Hisatsugu Miyata1, Michio Itasaka, Naofumi Kimura
1Department of Psychiatry, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo 105-8461, Japan.
Current Neuropharmacology
|September 3, 2011
Summary
Brain reward function decreases during nicotine and methamphetamine withdrawal, leading to aversion. This study in rats links reduced reward function to negative affective states during drug withdrawal.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Addiction Research
Background:
- Nicotine and methamphetamine are highly addictive drugs with significant public health implications.
- Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying withdrawal symptoms is crucial for developing effective treatments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if brain reward function diminishes during withdrawal from nicotine and methamphetamine.
- To determine if this decreased reward function correlates with aversion experienced during withdrawal from these substances.
Main Methods:
- Rats received chronic infusions of nicotine or methamphetamine via osmotic minipumps.
- Intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) measured reward thresholds.
- Conditioned place aversion paradigm assessed aversive states.
- Antagonists (mecamylamine for nicotine, haloperidol for methamphetamine) were used to precipitate withdrawal.
Main Results:
- Nicotine and methamphetamine decreased lateral hypothalamic ICSS thresholds, indicating reduced reward function.
- Antagonists increased ICSS thresholds and induced place aversion in drug-infused rats.
- The magnitude of reward threshold elevation and place aversion was similar for nicotine and methamphetamine withdrawal.
Conclusions:
- Brain reward function is impaired during withdrawal from both nicotine and methamphetamine.
- A decrease in brain reward function likely underlies the negative affective state, or aversion, observed during withdrawal from these drugs.
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