title: ACTH self-administration in rats.
abstract: The ability of rats to learn a lever pressing response reinforced by a contingent intravenous delivery of ACTH 1--24 and 4--10, was investigated. About 60% of the rats tested learned to press the lever for the two analogues that were infused at a rate of 2.08 microgram per second via a chronically implanted intrajugular catheter. Most of the animals exhibited sustained daily self-injections of 250 to 375 microgram of ACTH 1--24 and more variable amounts of ACTH 4--10. Comparisons with the self-administration of saline and altered responses following a change in the concentration of ACTH 1--24 solution indicated a positively reinforcing effect for the neuropeptide. The self-administration of the ACTH 4--10 analogue demonstrates that this reinforcing property of ACTH is not due to its adrenal stimulating activity. Brain targets possibly involved in the self-administration of ACTH are discussed.
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012646:Self Administration; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone