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Opposite modulation of cocaine-seeking behavior by D1- and D2-like dopamine receptor agonists
D W Self1, W J Barnhart, D A Lehman
1Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, 06508, USA.
Abstract:
Activation of the mesolimbic dopamine system is known to trigger relapse in animal models of cocaine-seeking behavior. We found that this "priming" effect was selectively induced by D2-like, and not by D1-like, dopamine receptor agonists in rats. Moreover, D1-like receptor agonists prevented cocaine-seeking behavior induced by cocaine itself, whereas D2-like receptor agonists enhanced this behavior. These results demonstrate an important dissociation between D1- and D2-like receptor processes in cocaine-seeking behavior and support further evaluation of D1-like receptor agonists as a possible pharmacotherapy for cocaine addiction.