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Chronic social stress conditions differentially modify vulnerability to amphetamine self-administration
V Lemaire1, J M Deminière, P Mormède
1Laboratoire de Psychobiologie des Comportements Adaptatifs, INSERM U259-INRA, Université de Bordeaux II, France.
Brain Research
|June 27, 1994
Summary
Chronic stress from social instability and female cohabitation differentially affects amphetamine self-administration in rodents. These social factors specifically alter drug-seeking behavior, not general locomotor responses.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychopharmacology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Chronic stress impacts neuroendocrine systems and behavior.
- Amphetamine self-administration models the reinforcing effects of psychostimulants.
- Social factors are known stressors that can influence behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how social instability and cohabitation with females, as chronic stressors, affect amphetamine self-administration.
- To determine if these social stressors differentially impact neuroendocrine activation and drug-seeking behavior.
- To explore the specific neural circuits involved in stress-induced modulation of psychostimulant reinforcement.
Main Methods:
- Rodents were subjected to chronic stress conditions: social instability and cohabitation with females.
- Amphetamine self-administration paradigms were used to assess drug-seeking behavior.
- Locomotor activity in response to amphetamine was measured.
- Neuroendocrine system activation patterns were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Social instability and cohabitation with females differentially activated neuroendocrine systems.
- Cohabitation with females significantly increased amphetamine self-administration.
- The effect of female cohabitation on amphetamine intake was reduced when social instability was also present.
- Locomotor responses to amphetamine remained unchanged by either social stressor.
Conclusions:
- Social stress, specifically cohabitation with females, enhances the reinforcing properties of amphetamine.
- The interaction between different social stressors can modulate drug-seeking behavior.
- The findings suggest a specific role for a subset of dopaminergic neurons in mediating stress-related changes in psychostimulant reinforcement, independent of general locomotor effects.