Psychopharmacology

, Volume 197, Issue 2, pp 247–261 | Cite as

Level of operant training rather than cocaine intake predicts level of reinstatement

Original Investigation
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Rationale

Extended cocaine self-administration has been shown to potentiate reinstatement. This increased vulnerability to relapse could be attributed not only to extended cocaine exposure but also to extended operant training.

Objective

This study was aimed at determining the influence of different operant training histories on cocaine-induced reinstatement when cocaine intake is kept constant.

Materials and methods

Cocaine intake and operant training were dissociated by using experimental procedures generating different histories of operant training but almost identical histories of cocaine intake. Rats were first trained to self-administer cocaine at a classical unit dose (250 μg/inf, FR1), then in independent groups, the level of operant response was changed for the next 20 sessions by changing either the unit dose available (83, 250, or 750 μg/inf, Experiment 1) or the fixed ratio required (FR-1, FR-3, or FR-10, Experiment 2). Then, all rats were tested for reinstatement with different priming doses of cocaine (0, 5, 10, and 15 mg/kg; i.p.) at an early and late stage of an extinction period.

Results

Level of responding during training predicts the level of reinstatement later on, independently of the amount of cocaine consumed. High FR requirement and low unit dose access led to higher level of reinstatement at early and late stage of the extinction period, respectively.

Conclusions

This study shows that the level of operant responding required to maintain optimal cocaine intake directly influences later levels of reinstatement. This finding suggests that environmental constrains that make drug-taking demanding and effortful may increase the vulnerability to relapse.

Keywords

Addiction Extinction Reinforcement Relapse Self-administration Priming 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Anne Fayoux and Stephane Lelgouach for animal care, Pierre Gonzalez, for technical support and Marie-Hélène Bruyères for administrative assistance. We also would like to thank Dr. Kelly Clemens for English proof reading.

Disclosure/Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no financial conflict of interest. The present work was supported by the CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), the University of Bordeaux 2, the MILDT (Mission Interministérielle de Lutte contre la Drogue & la Toxicomanie), and the “Conseil Régional d’Aquitaine”. Ronald Keiflin is supported by a doctoral fellowship from the French Ministry of Research and Technology (MRT).

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Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 2007

Authors and Affiliations

  • Ronald Keiflin
    • 1
  • Caroline Vouillac
    • 1
  • Martine Cador
    • 1
  1. 1.CNRS-UMR 5227, team “Neuropsychopharmacology of addiction”University Bordeaux 2, University Bordeaux 1Bordeaux CedexFrance

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