Neurochemical substrates for opiate reinforcement

The studies reported herein summarize our work to date aimed at determining the neurochemical substrates for the reinforcing properties of opiates. Rats were trained to self-administer heroin intravenously in daily 3-hour sessions, and pharmacological blockade and neurotoxin-induced lesions were used to define the neurochemical substrates for this reinforcing action. Low-dose DA receptor blockade failed to alter heroin self-administration but significantly increased cocaine self-administration, presumably reflecting a decrease in the reinforcing effectiveness of cocaine. Destruction of presynaptic DA terminals within the N.Acc. produced extinction of cocaine, but not heroin, self-administration. Opiate receptor blockade with systemic naloxone increased heroin, but not cocaine, self-administration. Methylnaloxonium injections into the N.Acc. were effective in increasing heroin self-administration at doses one-eighth those observed for intracerebroventricular injections. Reinforcement has been explored using a place-preference procedure and a self-administration drug-substitution paradigm. Mu/delta agonists such as B-END readily produce a naloxone-reversible place preference. Fentanyl derivatives also produce place preference and substitute for heroin during self-administration. The kappa agonist U50-488 produces place aversion, not place preference, and does not readily substitute for heroin. Altogether, these results suggest that mu/delta receptor subtypes in the region of the N.Acc. may be an important neurochemical substrate for opiate reinforcement.