A discriminative two-lever test of dizocilpine's ability to reinstate ethanol-seeking behavior.
Because ethanol has N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist effects, we tested whether dizocilpine, an NMDA antagonist, reinstates ethanol-seeking behavior. Rats were trained to lever-press for a 10% ethanol/2% sucrose (EtOH) or a 3% sucrose (Suc) solution using a two-lever (one lever active) procedure (FR2). After extinction, rats were injected with ethanol (0.5 g/kg). The EtOH group emitted more active than inactive lever presses and the Suc group showed minimal responding. Thus, ethanol reinstated ethanol-seeking behavior in a specific manner. In contrast, dizocilpine (0.175 mg/kg) increased responding on both levers in both groups suggesting a loss of discriminative control. Dizocilpine fails to reinstate ethanol-seeking behavior. These data also demonstrate the necessity of using a discriminative, two-lever test for drug reinstatement.
Vosler
P S
PS
Department of Psychology, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, CT, USA.
Bombace
J C
JC
Kosten
T A
TA
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012008:Recurrence; D012646:Self Administration
D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D000431:Ethanol; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate