Abstract
The effects of different doses of naloxone on morphine-based secondary reinforcement were studied in rats. On the first day a neutral stimulus (buzzer) was repeatedly paired with intravenous morphine infusions. Drug treatments consisted of Low, Medium, or High Naloxone doses, or No Naloxone. The next day the ability of the buzzer and saline infusion to support lever pressing was tested. High Naloxone blocked, and Low Naloxone partially blocked this morphine-based secondary reinforcement. Subjects in the Medium Naloxone group demonstrated an apparent avoidance of the lever, suggesting that the morphine infusions were aversive at this dosage level of naloxone. The secondary reinforcement tests reliably predicted behavior on a subsequent test for acquisition of morphine-seeking behavior.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Crowder, W. F., Smith, S. G., Davis, W. M., Noel, T. T., Coussens, W. R.: Effect of morphine dose size on the conditioned reinforcing potency of stimuli paired with morphine. Psychol. Rec 22, 441–448 (1972)
Davis, W. M., Smith, S. G.: Naloxone use to elimnate opiateseeking behavior: Need for extinction of conditioned reinforcement. Biol. Psychiat. 9, 181–189 (1974)
Jacquet, Y. F.: Conditioned aversion during morphine maintenance in mice and rats. Physiol. Behav. 11, 527–541 (1973)
LeBlanc, A. E., Cappell, H.: Antagonism of morphine-induced aversive conditioning by naloxone. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 3, 185–188 (1975)
Meyer, R. E., Marcus, R., Carnathan, G., Cochin, J.: Narcotic blockade, length of addiction, and persistence of etonitazene consumption in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl.) (in press)
Siegel, S.: Nonparametric statistics for the behavioral sciences. New York: McGraw-Hill 1956
Smith, S. G., Davis, W. M.: Haloperidol effects on morphine self-administration: Testing for pharmacological modification of the primary reinforcement mechanism. Psychol. Rec. 23, 215–221 (1973)
Weeks, J. R.: Experimental morphine addiction: Method for automatic intravenous injections in unrestrained rats. Science 138, 143–144 (1962)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Marcus, R., Carnathan, G., Meyer, R.E. et al. Morphine-based secondary reinforcement: Effects of different doses of naloxone. Psychopharmacology 48, 247–250 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00496856
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00496856