Verapamil suppresses d-amphetamine-induced place preference conditioning.
The effect of pretreatment with (+/-)-verapamil (5, 10 or 15 mg/kg, i.p.) on place preference induced with d-amphetamine (1 mg/kg, i.p. 40 min after verapamil) was studied in male rats. Place preference conditioning was performed using two-compartment shuttle boxes and 8 alternating stimulant/saline sessions. Verapamil dose-dependently suppressed amphetamine-induced place preference. No significant changes in place preference were observed following 8 alternating verapamil (no stimulant)/saline sessions, irrespective of whether verapamil injections were paired with the originally less or the originally more preferred compartment. It appears that verapamil effectively suppresses the reinforcing properties of d-amphetamine in the paradigm used.
Pucilowski
O
O
Skipper Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, School of Medicine 27599.
Garges
P L
PL
Rezvani
A H
AH
Hutheson
S
S
Janowsky
D S
DS
D000818:Animals; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology*
D014700:Verapamil; D003913:Dextroamphetamine