Motivational effect of nomifensine in the intracranial self-stimulation behavior using a runway method.
Intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) behavior is an experimental methodology to study reward and motivational effects. We have established a new paradigm to evaluate enhancing motivation by drugs in the runway method using the priming stimulation of ICSS. In the present study, we investigated the effects of nomifensine on the experimental extinction process of non-reinforcing reward and pre-trial electric priming stimulations in lateral hypothalamic self-stimulation. In this study, the experimental extinction process of the non-reinforcing reward means the experimental method of excluding reward effect in ICSS behavior. The extinction process in the runway method consisted of these 15 trials. Nomifensine, an antidepressant drug, delayed the running speed of the extinction process at doses of 5 and 10 mg/kg (i.p.) compared with the vehicle alone. This result suggests that the delay in the running speed of the extinction process promotes a motivational effect in rats. Previously, priming stimulation in the runway method was found to affect motivational function of ICSS. Therefore, our findings suggest the possible application of nomifensine for improving motivation.
Sagara
Hidenori
H
Department of Hospital Pharmacy, Okayama University Medical School, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Okayama 700-8558, Japan.
Kitamura
Yoshihisa
Y
Sendo
Toshiaki
T
Araki
Hiroaki
H
Gomita
Yutaka
Y
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009627:Nomifensine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012201:Reward; D012653:Self Stimulation
D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D009627:Nomifensine