title: Prazosin, an alpha-1 adrenergic antagonist, reduces cocaine-induced reinstatement of drug-seeking.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Norepinephrine is implicated in cocaine's behavioral effects. In this study, we tested the effect of prazosin, an alpha1-adrenergic receptor antagonist, on cocaine-induced reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were trained to self-administer cocaine intravenously under a fixed-ratio 3 schedule of reinforcement. After behavior was established, cocaine was replaced with saline and behavior extinguished. The ability of cocaine (0, 5-20 mg/kg) alone or combined with prazosin (.3 mg/kg) to reinstate lever press responding was tested. The effects of prazosin on lever press responding for food was examined in another set of rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cocaine induced a dose-dependent reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior that was significantly attenuated by prazosin. This dose of prazosin did not alter lever press response rates for food.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The attenuation in drug-induced reinstatement is likely not due to prazosin-induced suppression of activity. These results suggest alpha1-adrenergic mechanisms contribute to reinstatement in rats and perhaps, to relapse in addicts.
authors.affiliation: Division of Substance Abuse, Yale University School of Medicine, West Haven, Connecticut 06516, USA.
authors.forename: Xiang Yang
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Therese A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Kosten
mesh_terms: D058668:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D003042:Cocaine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005502:Food; D008297:Male; D011224:Prazosin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012008:Recurrence; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012201:Reward
chemical_list: D058668:Adrenergic alpha-1 Receptor Antagonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D003042:Cocaine; D011224:Prazosin