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Behavior-associated changes in blood pressure during heroin self-administration
1Department of Psychiatry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226.
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior
|November 1, 1993
Summary
Heroin self-administration in rats causes significant arterial blood pressure (ABP) fluctuations. These changes, including a pre-drug increase and post-drug decrease in ABP, correlate with drug-seeking and rewarding effects.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Physiology
Background:
- Operant intravenous heroin self-administration (SA) is a key model for studying drug addiction.
- Arterial blood pressure (ABP) changes can reflect behavioral states and the physiological impact of drugs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate arterial blood pressure (ABP) changes during heroin self-administration (SA) in rats.
- To correlate ABP fluctuations with behavioral activation and sedation associated with heroin intake.
Main Methods:
- Freely moving rats were trained to self-administer heroin intravenously (100 µg/kg/injection).
- Arterial blood pressure (ABP) was continuously monitored during operant behavior.
- Effects of training, drug-naive injections, and associated stimuli on ABP were assessed.
Main Results:
- Heroin SA induced bidirectional, phasic ABP fluctuations without altering basal ABP levels.
- Trained rats showed a gradual ABP increase before lever-pressing and an abrupt decrease post-infusion.
- ABP fluctuations were absent in drug-naive rats and initially in trained rats; nonreinforced cues also affected ABP.
Conclusions:
- A pre-drug ABP increase is linked to heroin-seeking behavior.
- A post-drug ABP decrease may reflect heroin's rewarding effects and behavioral alleviation.
- ABP monitoring provides insights into the neurophysiological correlates of drug addiction.