Behavioral characteristics and neurobiological substrates shared by Pavlovian sign-tracking and drug abuse.
Drug abuse researchers have noted striking similarities between behaviors elicited by Pavlovian sign-tracking procedures and prominent symptoms of drug abuse. In Pavlovian sign-tracking procedures, repeated paired presentations of a small object (conditioned stimulus, CS) with a reward (unconditioned stimulus, US) elicits a conditioned response (CR) that typically consists of approaching the CS, contacting the CS, and expressing consummatory responses at the CS. Sign-tracking CR performance is poorly controlled and exhibits spontaneous recovery and long-term retention, effects that resemble relapse. Sign-tracking resembles psychomotor activation, a syndrome of behavioral responses evoked by addictive drugs, and the effects of sign-tracking on corticosterone levels and activation of dopamine pathways resemble the neurobiological effects of abused drugs. Finally, the neurobiological profile of individuals susceptible to sign-tracking resembles the pathophysiological profile of vulnerability to drug abuse, and vulnerability to sign-tracking predicts vulnerability to impulsive responding and alcohol self-administration. Implications of sign-tracking for models of drug addiction are considered.
Tomie
Arthur
A
Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08903, USA. tomie@rci.rutgers.edu
Grimes
Kathryn L
KL
Pohorecky
Larissa A
LA
D000818:Animals; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000502:physiology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology
D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D004298:Dopamine; D003345:Corticosterone