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Sensory reinforcement as a predictor of cocaine and water self-administration in rats

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Abstract

Rationale

The ability of locomotor activity in a novel environment (Loco) and visual stimulus reinforcement (VSR) to predict acquisition of responding for cocaine and water reinforcers in the absence of explicit audiovisual signals was evaluated.

Methods

In Experiment 1 (Exp 1), rats (n = 60) were tested for VSR, followed by Loco, and finally acquisition of responding for cocaine (0.3 mg/kg/inf). In Experiment 2 (Exp 2), rats (n = 32) were tested for VSR, followed by Loco, and finally acquisition of responding for water (0.01 mL/reinforcer).

Results

There were three main findings. First, Loco and VSR were significantly associated (Exp 1: r = 0.49, p < 0.00; Exp 2: r = 0.35, p < 0.05). Second, neither Loco (r = .00, p = 0.998) nor VSR (r = −0.12, p = 0.352) predicted acquisition of cocaine SA. Third, in the subgroup of animals that acquired cocaine SA, VSR (r = 0.41, p < 0.01) but not Loco (r = 0.28, p = 0.10) was positively associated with operant responding for cocaine. Both Loco and VSR (Loco: r = 0.37, p < 0.04; VSR: r = 0.51, p < 0.00) were positively associated with operant responding for water reinforcers.

Conclusions

The results indicate that VSR is at least as good a predictor of cocaine reinforced responding as Loco. VSR was predictive of operant responding for both drug and water reinforcers, while Loco was found to be predictive of responding only for water reinforcers. In studies that present visual stimuli in association with drug delivery, Loco may be predicting acquisition of responding for VSR rather than drug.

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Acknowledgments

This work was conducted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of a doctoral degree at the State University of New York at Buffalo for Amy M. Gancarz. We would like to thank Linda Beyley for her assistance in conducting the experiments and Mark Kogutowski for his technical expertise in computer programming for the current experiments. We wish to thank Drs. Michael Bozarth, Micheal Dent, and Larry Hawk for their critical comments and editorial assistance on earlier versions of the manuscript. This work was partly supported by DA10588 to Jerry B. Richards. Amy M. Gancarz was supported by NIAAA training grant T32-AA007583-11 during the preparation of the manuscript. Amy M. Gancarz was supported by NIAAA training grant T32-AA007583-11 during the preparation of the manuscript. The cocaine tested in these experiments was gifted by NIDA. The authors on this manuscript reported no biomedical financial interests or potential conflicts of interest.

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Author notes

  1. Mykel A. Robble

    Present address: Department of Neuroscience, Marquette University, Wehr Life Sciences, P.O. Box 1881, Milwaukee, WI, 53201, USA

  2. Michael A. Kausch

    Present address: Pharmacology & Toxicology Department, State University of New York at Buffalo, 3435 Main St., Buffalo, NY, 14226, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, State University of New York at Buffalo, Park Hall Room 204, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA

    Amy M. Gancarz, Mykel A. Robble, David R. Lloyd & Jerry B. Richards

  2. Research Institute on Addictions, State University of New York at Buffalo, 1021 Main St., Buffalo, NY, 14203, USA

    Amy M. Gancarz, Mykel A. Robble, Michael A. Kausch, David R. Lloyd & Jerry B. Richards

Authors
  1. Amy M. Gancarz
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Correspondence to Amy M. Gancarz.

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Gancarz, A.M., Robble, M.A., Kausch, M.A. et al. Sensory reinforcement as a predictor of cocaine and water self-administration in rats. Psychopharmacology 226, 335–346 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-012-2907-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-012-2907-6

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