Abstract
Dopamine (DA) D3 receptors have been suggested to play a role in mechanisms underlying the ability of drug-associated cues to induce drug-seeking behaviour. The present study investigated whether SB-277011-A, a selective DA D3 receptor antagonist, modulates reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behaviour induced by cocaine-associated stimuli. The study also explored whether or not this modulation is generable to seeking behaviours associated with a nutritive reinforcer such as sucrose. Separate groups of rats were trained to associate discriminative stimuli (SD) with the availability of cocaine or sucrose pellets vs. non-reward under a FR1 schedule of reinforcement. Each reinforced response was followed by a response-cue signalling a 20-s time-out (TO). After the self-administration training criterion was met, rats underwent extinction during which cocaine, sucrose pellets and SDs were withheld. Reinstatement tests, separated by 3 d during which rates of responding under extinction conditions remained at the criterion, were performed by presenting SDs non-contingently together with the contingent presentation of response-cues signalling a 20-s TO. Within- and between-subjects experimental designs revealed that 10 and 30 mg/kg SB-277011-A attenuated reinstatement of cocaine-seeking. SB-277011-A (10 mg/kg) did not modify conditioned reinstatement triggered by sucrose pellet-associated cues. These results, provided they can be extrapolated to abstinent human addicts, suggest the potential therapeutic use of selective DA D3 receptor antagonists for the prevention of cue-controlled cocaine-seeking and relapse.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 167-181 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology |
Volume | 10 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Apr 2007 |
Keywords
- Cocaine-seeking behaviour
- D receptor antagonist
- Dopamine
- Drug cues
- SB-277011-A
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology (medical)
- Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology
- Neuroscience(all)
- Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics(all)