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Updated: May 9, 2026

A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder

A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder

Published on: June 18, 2018

A choice-based screening method for compulsive drug users in rats.

Magalie Lenoir¹, Eric Augier, Caroline Vouillac

¹Université de Bordeaux, CNRS, Institut des Maladies Neurodégénératives, Bordeaux, France.

Current Protocols in Neuroscience

|July 16, 2013

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A new screening protocol identifies compulsive cocaine users in rats. Most rats avoid cocaine when offered a choice, but a persistent minority (15%) continue drug use, indicating addiction.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Behavioral Science
Pharmacology

Background:

Cocaine addiction research heavily relies on animal models.
Identifying compulsive drug use in these models is crucial for understanding addiction.
Existing methods for screening compulsive drug use can be complex or less reliable.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and validate a straightforward protocol for screening compulsive cocaine users in a rat model.
To establish a reliable method for identifying individual differences in cocaine self-administration behavior.

Main Methods:

Rats were trained to self-administer cocaine intravenously or a palatable non-drug reward (saccharin solution) orally on alternating days.
A choice paradigm was implemented, allowing rats to select between cocaine and the saccharin reward over multiple days.

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Last Updated: May 9, 2026

A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder

A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder

Published on: June 18, 2018

A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats

A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats

Published on: February 20, 2019

Assessment of Cocaine-induced Behavioral Sensitization and Conditioned Place Preference in Mice

Assessment of Cocaine-induced Behavioral Sensitization and Conditioned Place Preference in Mice

Published on: February 18, 2016

Compulsive drug use was defined by the persistence in cocaine self-administration despite the availability of a preferred alternative reward, even under conditions of deprivation.

Main Results:

The majority of rats demonstrated a preference for the non-drug reward, ceasing cocaine self-administration.
A consistent minority of Wistar rats (approximately 15%) exhibited persistent cocaine use, choosing the drug over the alternative reward.
This persistent drug-seeking behavior was observed irrespective of prior cocaine exposure levels or physiological need (hunger).

Conclusions:

The developed choice-based protocol effectively screens for compulsive cocaine use in rats, mirroring key features of human addiction.
This method provides a reliable and accessible tool for addiction research, facilitating the study of factors contributing to compulsive drug-seeking behavior.
The findings highlight the utility of choice paradigms in dissecting the neurobiological underpinnings of addiction and compulsive behaviors.