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Drug conditioning induced by intrastriatal apomorphine administration
M Pinheiro Carrera1, F C Brunhara, R K Schwarting
1Laboratory of Psychobiology and Center for Neuroscience and Behavior, University of São Paulo, FFCL-RP, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
Brain Research
|June 17, 1998
Summary
The neostriatum is crucial for developing drug-conditioned locomotor responses, but not behavioral sensitization. This study shows the neostriatum
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Pharmacology
- Neurobiology
Background:
- Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying drug conditioning and behavioral sensitization is vital for addiction research.
- The neostriatum's role in motor control and reward pathways suggests its potential involvement in drug-induced behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neostriatum's involvement in conditioned locomotor responses induced by apomorphine.
- To determine if the neostriatum participates in the development of behavioral sensitization to apomorphine.
- To ascertain whether behavioral sensitization is a prerequisite for the induction of drug conditioning.
Main Methods:
- Rats received daily dorsal neostriatal injections of apomorphine or vehicle for seven days.
- Treatments were paired or unpaired with exposure to an open-field environment.
- Locomotor activity was measured during non-drug and drug test trials following a withdrawal period.
Main Results:
- Apomorphine-paired rats exhibited significantly higher locomotor activity in the test environment.
- No evidence of behavioral sensitization was observed; locomotor response decreased with repeated apomorphine injections.
- Apomorphine-paired animals showed a conditioned locomotor response to vehicle injection in the familiar environment.
Conclusions:
- The dorsal neostriatum is directly implicated in the development of drug-induced locomotor conditioning.
- The neostriatum does not appear to be involved in the establishment of behavioral sensitization to apomorphine.
- Behavioral sensitization is not necessary for the induction of drug-conditioned locomotor responses.