Pattern of intake and drug craving predict the development of cocaine addiction-like behavior in rats.
BACKGROUND
Clinical observations suggest that cocaine addiction often emerges with new patterns of use. Whether these changes are a cause of addiction or its consequence is unknown. We investigated whether the development of an addiction-like behavior in the rat is associated with the pattern of cocaine intake and with cocaine craving, a major feature of cocaine addiction.


METHODS
To determine whether changes in the pattern of cocaine use and enhanced craving precede or parallel the onset of addiction, we used a rat addiction model that incorporates core features of human addiction. For this purpose, the pattern of inter-infusion intervals (a measure of pattern of cocaine intake), sensitivity to cocaine-induced reinstatement (a measure of cocaine craving), and addiction-like behaviour were assessed over several months of intravenous cocaine self-administration.


RESULTS
We found that, even at early stages of cocaine self-administration, both the pattern of cocaine intake and the intensity of drug-induced reinstatement predict the severity of cocaine use, measured after 75 days of self-administration.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results identify key predictors of cocaine addiction-intensified pattern of drug use and high drug-induced craving-that may help in the identification of subjects at risk for subsequent development of severe cocaine addiction.
Belin
David
D
CRI U862, Physiopathologie de l'addiction, Institut François Magendie, Bordeaux Cedex 33077, France.
Balado
Eric
E
Piazza
Pier Vincenzo
PV
Deroche-Gamonet
Véronique
V
D000818:Animals; D016739:Behavior, Addictive; D003042:Cocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005108:Extinction, Psychological; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011678:Punishment; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012646:Self Administration / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors
D003042:Cocaine