Genetics of novelty seeking, amphetamine self-administration and reinstatement using inbred rats.
Previous research using outbred rats indicates that individual differences in activity in a novel environment predict sensitivity to the reinforcing effect of psychostimulant drugs. The current study examined if the link between responses related to novelty and amphetamine self-administration is heritable. Twelve inbred rat strains were assessed for locomotor activity in a novel environment, preference for a novel environment, and intravenous amphetamine self-administration (acquisition, extinction and amphetamine-induced reinstatement). Strain differences were observed in activity in a novel environment, novelty preference and amphetamine self-administration, indicating a genetic influence for each of these behaviors. While there was no relation between activity in an inescapable novel environment and amphetamine self-administration, strain-dependent differences in novelty preference were positively correlated with the amount of amphetamine self-administered. There was also a positive correlation between the dose-dependent rate of amphetamine self-administration and magnitude of reinstatement. These results show that the activity in an inescapable novel environment and the preference for a novel environment are different genetically, and thus likely to reflect different behavioral constructs. Moreover, these results implicate a genetic influence on the relation between novelty seeking and stimulant self-administration, as well as on the relation between stimulant reward and reinstatement.
Meyer
A C
AC
Center for Drug Abuse Research Translation, Lexington, KY 40536-0509, USA.
Rahman
S
S
Charnigo
R J
RJ
Dwoskin
L P
LP
Crabbe
J C
JC
Bardo
M T
MT
D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000502:physiology; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D005108:Extinction, Psychological; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D011915:Rats, Inbred BUF; D020303:Rats, Inbred Dahl; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D012008:Recurrence; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D012646:Self Administration; D013045:Species Specificity
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D003913:Dextroamphetamine