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Updated: Aug 15, 2025
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A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder
Published on: June 18, 2018
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Molecular pattern of a decrease in the rewarding effect of cocaine after an escalating-dose drug regimen.
Karolina Kołosowska1, Małgorzata Lehner2, Anna Skórzewska2
1Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, 9 Sobieskiego Street, 02-957, Warsaw, Poland. kkolosowska@ipin.edu.pl.
Pharmacological Reports : PR
|December 31, 2022
Summary
Escalating cocaine doses reduced drug-seeking behavior and altered molecular markers in plasma and the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This suggests complex neurobiological changes underlie cocaine abuse vulnerability.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Long-term cocaine use disrupts the brain's reward system, diminishing its rewarding effects.
- Studying escalating-dose cocaine regimens reveals adaptive changes in behavior and neurochemistry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of an escalating-dose cocaine regimen on drug-associated behavior after withdrawal.
- To identify molecular changes in plasma and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) related to cocaine abuse.
Main Methods:
- Rats received a 5-day escalating-dose cocaine regimen.
- Behavioral tests included the elevated plus maze (EPM) for anxiety and conditioned place preference (CPP) for reinforcement.
- Plasma and PFC molecular changes were analyzed using ELISA and PCR, measuring hormones, peptides, receptors, and microRNAs.
Main Results:
- Cocaine-exposed rats showed reduced preference for cocaine-associated contexts and fewer appetitive ultrasonic vocalizations (USV).
- Plasma levels of corticosterone and CART decreased, while POMC and β-endorphin increased.
- PFC analysis revealed increased D2R and miRNA-124 mRNA, but decreased KOR, OX1R, and CART 55-102 mRNA.
Conclusions:
- Escalating cocaine doses induce significant behavioral and molecular alterations.
- These findings highlight a complex interplay of neurochemical systems in cocaine abuse.
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