title: Aripiprazole blocks reinstatement of cocaine seeking in an animal model of relapse.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aripiprazole (Abilify) is an atypical antipsychotic drug primarily characterized by partial agonist activity at dopamine (DA) D2 receptors and low side effects. Based on pharmacologic properties that include a stabilization of mesocorticolimbic DA activity, a pathway implicated in addiction, aripiprazole was tested for its ability to prevent relapse to cocaine seeking in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed the dose-dependent effects of aripiprazole on conditioned cue-induced and cocaine-primed reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior following chronic intravenous cocaine self-administration in an animal model of relapse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Aripiprazole potently and dose-dependently attenuated responding on the previously cocaine-paired lever during both reinstatement conditions, with slightly greater efficacy at reducing conditioned-cued reinstatement. Aripiprazole was effective at doses that failed to alter cocaine self-administration, food self-administration, reinstatement of food-seeking behavior, or basal locomotor activity, suggesting selective effects of aripiprazole on motivated drug-seeking behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results in a relapse model show that aripiprazole can block cocaine seeking without affecting other behaviors. The D2 partial agonist properties of aripiprazole likely account for the blockade of reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior. Given its established efficacy and tolerability as a treatment for psychosis, aripiprazole may be an excellent therapeutic choice for reducing craving and preventing relapse in people with cocaine dependency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Feltenstein
authors.forename: C Anthony
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Altar
authors.forename: Ronald E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: See
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015363:Quinolones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012646:Self Administration / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D015363:Quinolones; D000068180:Aripiprazole; D003042:Cocaine