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Updated: May 1, 2026
A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder
Published on: June 18, 2018
CRF1 receptor-deficiency induces anxiety-like vulnerability to cocaine
Nadège Morisot1, Mark J Millan, Angelo Contarino
1Univ. Bordeaux, INCIA, UMR 5287, F-33000, Bordeaux, France.
Rationale:
The intake of psychostimulant drugs may induce cognitive dysfunction and negative affective-like states, and is associated with increased activity of stress-responsive systems. The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system mediates neuroendocrine, behavioural and autonomic responses to stressors, and might be implicated in substance-related disorders. CRF signalling is mediated by two receptor types, named CRF1 and CRF2.
Objectives:
The present study aims to elucidate the role for the CRF1 receptor in cognitive dysfunction and anxiety-like states induced by cocaine.
Results:
The genetic inactivation of the CRF1 receptor (CRF1+/- and CRF1-/-) does not influence recognition memory in drug-naïve mice, as assessed by the novel object recognition (NOR) test. Moreover, the chronic administration of escalating doses of cocaine (5-20 mg/kg, i.p.) induces NOR deficits, which are unaffected by CRF1 receptor-deficiency. However, the same drug regimen reveals an anxiety-like vulnerability to cocaine in CRF1-/- but not in wild-type or CRF1+/- mice, as assessed by the elevated plus maze test.
Conclusions:
The present findings indicate dissociation of cognitive dysfunction and anxiety-like states induced by cocaine. Moreover, they unravel a novel mechanism of vulnerability to psychostimulant drugs.
