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Effects of stress modulation on morphine-induced conditioned place preferences and plasma corticosterone levels in Fischer, Lewis, and Sprague–Dawley rat strains

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Abstract

Rationale

There is a direct relationship between hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA) reactivity and susceptibility to drug use in outbred rats. Specifically, manipulations that increase or decrease HPA activity also increase or decrease drug intake, respectively. Interestingly, this relationship has not been established in the inbred Fischer (F344) and Lewis (LEW) rat strains that are often used as animal models of susceptibility to drug use.

Objective

The present study investigated the effects of manipulations known to affect HPA activity on morphine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in male LEW, F344, and Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats.

Materials and methods

In experiment 1, animals were exposed to an injection of methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM) and 2-h restraint stress prior to the conditioning of a morphine-induced place preference (1, 4, or 10 mg/kg subcutaneous). In experiment 2, animals were chronically exposed to corticotropin-releasing hormone type 1 receptor antagonist, antalarmin, prior to CPP training. The effects of DMCM/restraint and antalarmin on corticosterone levels were examined in experiments 3 and 4.

Results

In outbred rats, DMCM/restraint increased both HPA activity and morphine-induced CPP, while antalarmin decreased CPP and produced a slight, but nonsignificant, decrease in corticosterone levels. In the inbred rats, however, DMCM/restraint increased plasma corticosterone yet decreased place preferences in the LEW strain, and antalarmin treatment decreased plasma corticosterone but increased place preferences in the F344 strain.

Conclusions

These data suggest that the relationship between stress and drug use may be nonmonotonic. The use of these inbred strains in genetic analysis of drug addiction may require reexamination.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported in part by the National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program and by a grant from the Mellon Foundation to A. L. Riley. The authors thank Leigh Panlilio for assisting with statistical analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Preclinical Pharmacology Section, Behavioral Neuroscience Branch, DHHS/NIH/NIDA Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 5500 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA

    Ivana Grakalic & Charles W. Schindler

  2. DHHS/NIH/NIDDKD, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Kenner C. Rice

  3. American University, Washington, DC, USA

    Anthony L. Riley

  4. Clinical Psychopharmacology Section, DHHS/NIH/NIDA Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Michael H. Baumann

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  1. Ivana Grakalic
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  2. Charles W. Schindler
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  4. Kenner C. Rice
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  5. Anthony L. Riley
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Correspondence to Ivana Grakalic.

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Grakalic, I., Schindler, C.W., Baumann, M.H. et al. Effects of stress modulation on morphine-induced conditioned place preferences and plasma corticosterone levels in Fischer, Lewis, and Sprague–Dawley rat strains. Psychopharmacology 189, 277–286 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0562-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0562-5

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