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Impulsivity (delay discounting) as a predictor of acquisition of IV cocaine self-administration in female rats

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Abstract

Rationale

Previous research in humans suggests a relationship between drug abuse and impulsivity as shown by selection of a smaller immediate reward over a larger delayed reward. However, it is not clear whether impulsivity precedes drug abuse or drug abuse influences impulsivity.

Objective

The hypothesis of the present experiment was that rats selected for choosing smaller, immediate over larger, delayed food would acquire IV cocaine self-administration faster than those choosing larger, delayed food rewards.

Methods

Female rats were screened for locomotor activity and trained on a delay discounting procedure that allowed them access to two response levers and a food pellet dispenser. Under a fixed-ratio (FR) 1 schedule, responding on one lever resulted in immediate delivery of one 45 mg pellet, while responding on the other lever resulted in delivery of three 45 mg pellets after a variable delay that increased after responses on the delay lever and decreased after responses on the immediate lever. For each rat, a mean adjusted delay (MAD) was calculated for each daily session, and stability was defined as MADs varying less than 5 s across 5 days. Based on their average MADs, rats were separated into low impulsive (LoI) and high impulsive (HiI) groups, implanted with an indwelling IV catheter, and trained to lever press for cocaine (0.2 mg/kg) under an FR1 schedule.

Results

There were no differences in locomotor activity between the LoI and HiI groups; however, a greater percentage of the HiI group acquired cocaine self-administration, and they did so at a significantly faster rate than the LoI rats.

Conclusions

Performance on the delay discounting model of impulsivity predicted vulnerability to subsequent acquisition of cocaine self-administration.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Mara Zoe Feliciano, Christina Gremel, Annemarie Loth, Andrew D. Morgan, and Isadora Rosario-Gonzalez for their technical assistance, and Andrew D. Morgan for careful reading of the manuscript. We are also grateful for support contributed by NIDA grants R01 DA03240, K05 DA15267 (M.E.C.), and R03 DA13575 01 (G.J.M.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Minnesota Medical School, MMC 392, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA

    Jennifer L. Perry, Erin B. Larson, Jonathan P. German & Marilyn E. Carroll

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI, 54702-4004, USA

    Gregory J. Madden

Authors
  1. Jennifer L. Perry
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  2. Erin B. Larson
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  3. Jonathan P. German
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  4. Gregory J. Madden
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  5. Marilyn E. Carroll
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Correspondence to Jennifer L. Perry.

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Perry, J.L., Larson, E.B., German, J.P. et al. Impulsivity (delay discounting) as a predictor of acquisition of IV cocaine self-administration in female rats. Psychopharmacology 178, 193–201 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-004-1994-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-004-1994-4

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