Corticosterone levels determine individual vulnerability to amphetamine self-administration.
Individual vulnerability to the reinforcing properties of drugs appears to be an essential characteristic predisposing humans to addiction. In animals, a greater behavioral reactivity to a mild stress, such as exposure to a novel environment, is an index of the vulnerability to acquire amphetamine self-administration. Biological responses to stress as well as behavioral reactivity may predict such a vulnerability. In the present study, rats with a longer duration of corticosterone secretion after exposure to novelty showed facilitation of acquisition of amphetamine self-administration. Furthermore, corticosterone administration in nonpredisposed individuals increased the reinforcing value of the drug and facilitated the acquisition of amphetamine self-administration. These results indicate that the stress-related activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis may play a role in the pathogenesis of psychostimulant addiction.
Piazza
P V
PV
Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U. 259, Université de Bordeaux II, France.
Maccari
S
S
Deminière
J M
JM
Le Moal
M
M
Mormède
P
P
Simon
H
H
D000661:Amphetamine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012646:Self Administration
C067957:corticosterone-21-hemisuccinate; D000661:Amphetamine; D003345:Corticosterone