Abstract
Intravenous self-administration of morphine by dogs was studied before and during dependence on morphine, and after 1 to 6 months of enforced abstinence. In comparison to pedal response rates during a saline control period, 18 of 22 dogs studied showed decreased rates of responding for morphine during the initial 3-week exposure. Following subsequent passive establishment of dependence in 7 dogs, they self-administered morphine and maintained dependence. Following enforced abstinence for periods of 1 to 6 months the 7 dogs relapsed to self-administration of morphine when it was again made available. In contrast, additional dogs offered food or amphetamine reinforcements showed marked increases in pedal responding for these reinforcements within a few days after initial exposure. The results indicate that in post-dependent dogs that had maintained their dependence on morphine by self-administration, effects other than those experienced during the initial exposure to morphine are responsible for relapse.
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Jones, B.E., Prada, J.A. Relapse to morphine use in dog. Psychopharmacologia 30, 1–12 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422789
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422789