title: Buprenorphine self-administration by rhesus monkey.
abstract: Intravenous injections of buprenorphine, a partial opiate agonist and antagonist, maintained operant responding under second order schedule control (FR 3 VR 16:S) across a dose range of 0.005 to 0.10 mg/kg/inj. A drug naive monkey and four monkeys with a history of morphine self-administration all self-administered buprenorphine at all doses studied. Four monkeys showed dose-related increases in the total amount of buprenorphine (mg/kg) self-administered each day as the available dose increased from 0.01 to 0.10 mg/kg/inj. Injections per day remained equivalent to the number of injections at the lowest dose studied or increased significantly (p less than 0.05, 0.01), as the dose per injection increased in three monkeys. Even at high buprenorphine doses, there was no evidence of sedation. Monkeys consistently self-administered significantly more buprenorphine than saline in control studies (p less than 0.01). Buprenorphine's agonistic effects appear to persist for 24 to 48 hours. When saline and buprenorphine were available on alternate days, monkeys did not distinguish between them, but when 3 days of saline were alternated with 1 day of buprenorphine (0.03 mg/kg/inj), monkeys took significantly more buprenorphine than saline (p less than 0.02--0.001). Abrupt discontinuation of buprenorphine (0.10 mg/kg/inj) did not result in discernible withdrawal signs. The effects of buprenorphine on food intake were inconsistent, but there were no significant changes in body weight as a function of chronic buprenorphine self-administration or withdrawal. These data indicate that buprenorphine is a positive reinforcer in rhesus monkeys and maintains behavior leading to its administration on second order schedules over a wide dose range. Despite its opiate agonist properties, there was no evidence of physical dependence.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002047:Buprenorphine; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D009019:Morphinans; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D012646:Self Administration; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000209:etiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D009019:Morphinans; D002047:Buprenorphine