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Cocaine self-administration increased by compounding discriminative stimuli
L V Panlilio1, S J Weiss, C W Schindler
1Preclinical Pharmacology Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
Psychopharmacology
|June 1, 1996
Summary
Environmental cues can significantly increase drug intake. Combining stimuli, like a tone and light, amplified cocaine self-administration in rats, suggesting potential implications for human drug use.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Psychopharmacology
- Animal models of addiction
Background:
- Discriminative stimuli can control behavior under various schedules.
- Previous research shows stimulus compounding increases responding for food and shock avoidance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if stimulus compounding enhances drug self-administration.
- To determine the effect of combined environmental cues on cocaine intake in rats.
Main Methods:
- Rats were trained for intravenous cocaine self-administration.
- A tone and light were established as discriminative stimuli.
- Stimulus compounding (tone + light) was tested against individual stimuli.
Main Results:
- The compound stimulus increased responding by threefold when cocaine was withheld.
- Compound stimulus increased cocaine intake by twofold when available.
- No effect of compounding was observed in a truly random control condition.
Conclusions:
- Stimulus compounding significantly potentiates cocaine self-administration in rats.
- Environmental cues play a critical role in modulating drug-seeking behavior.
- Findings suggest potential mechanisms for how environmental stimuli can increase human drug use.