Abstract
Rationale and objectives
Previous work has shown that wheel running reduced the maintenance of cocaine self-administration in rats. In the present study, the effect of wheel running on extinction and reinstatement of cocaine seeking was examined. Female rats were trained to run in a wheel during 6-h sessions, and they were then catheterized and placed in an operant conditioning chamber where they did not have access to the wheel but were allowed to self-administer iv cocaine. Subsequently, rats were divided into four groups and were tested on the extinction and reinstatement of cocaine seeking while they had varying access to a wheel in an adjoining compartment. The four groups were assigned to the following wheel access conditions: (1) wheel running during extinction and reinstatement (WER), (2) wheel running during extinction and a locked wheel during reinstatement (WE), (3) locked wheel during extinction and wheel running during reinstatement (WR), and (4) locked wheel during extinction and reinstatement (WL). WE and WR were retested later to examine the effect of one session of wheel access on cocaine-primed reinstatement.
Results
There were no group differences in wheel revolutions, in rate of acquisition of cocaine self-administration, or in responding during maintenance when there was no wheel access. However, during extinction, WE and WER responded less than WR and WL. WR and WER had lower cocaine-primed reinstatement than WE and WL. One session of wheel exposure in WE also suppressed cocaine-primed reinstatement.
Conclusions
Wheel running immediately and effectively reduced cocaine-seeking behavior, but concurrent access to running was necessary. Thus, exercise is a useful and self-sustaining intervention to reduce cocaine-seeking behavior.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Ahmad SO, Park JH, Stenho-Bittel L, Lau YS (2009) Effects of endurance exercise on ventral tegmental area neurons in the chronic 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine and probenecid-treated mice. Neurosci Lett 450:102–105
Ahmadi J, Kampman K, Dackis C (2006) Outcome predictors in cocaine dependence treatment trials. Am J Addict 15:434–439
Alaei H, Borjeian L, Azizi M, Orian S, Pourshanazari A, Hanninen O (2006) Treadmill running reverses retention deficit induced by morphine. Eur J Pharmacol 536:138–141
Avena NM (2007) Examining the addictive-like properties of binge eating using an animal model of sugar dependence. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 15:481–491
Avena NM, Rada P, Hoebel BG (2008) Evidence for sugar addiction: behavioral and neurochemical effects of intermittent, excessive sugar intake. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 32:20–39
Bardo MT, Klebaur JE, Valone JM, Deaton C (2001) Environmental enrichment decreases intravenous self-administration of amphetamine in female and male rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 155:278–284
Belke TW, Wagner JP (2005) The reinforcing property and the rewarding aftereffect of wheel running in rats: a combination of two paradigms. Behav Processes 68:165–172
Belke TW, Oldford AC, Forgie MY, Beye JA (2005) Responding for sucrose and wheel-running reinforcement: effect of D-amphetamine. Behav Pharmacol 16:219–225
Berglind WJ, See RE, Fuchs RA, Ghee SM, Whitfield TW Jr, Miller SW, McGinty JF (2007) A BDNF infusion into the medial prefrontal cortex suppresses cocaine seeking in rats. Eur J Neurosci 26:757–766
Boakes RA, Mills KJ, Single JP (1999) Sex differences in the relationship between activity and weight loss in the rat. Behav Neurosci 113:1080–1089
Boecker H, Sprenger T, Spilker ME, Henriksen G, Koppenhowfer M, Wagner KJ, Valet M, Berthele A, Tolle TR (2008) The runner’s high: opioidergic mechanisms in the human brain. Cerebral Cortex 18:2523–2531
Bossert JM, Ghitza UE, Lu L, Epstein DH, Shaham Y (2005) Neurobiology of relapse to heroin and cocaine seeking: an update and clinical implications. Eur J Pharmacol 526:36–50
Caine SB, Koob GF (1994) Effects of dopamine depletion on responding maintained by cocaine and food. J Exp Anal Behav 61:213–221
Campbell UC, Thompson SS, Carroll ME (1998) Acquisition of oral phencyclidine (PCP) self-administration in rhesus monkeys: effects of dose and an alternative nondrug reinforcer. Psychopharmacology 137:132–138
Carroll ME (1985) Concurrent phencyclidine and saccharin access: presentation of an alternative reinforcer reduces drug intake. J Exp Anal Behav 43:131–144
Carroll ME (1996) Reducing drug abuse by enriching the environment with alternative nondrug reinforcers. In: Green L, Kagel J (eds) Advances in behavioral economics, vol 3. Ablex, Norwood, pp 37–68
Carroll ME, Boe IN (1982) Increased intravenous drug self-administration during deprivation of other reinforcers. Pharm Biochem Behav 17:563–567
Carroll ME, Campbell UC (2000) A behavioral economic analysis of the reinforcing effects of drugs: transition states of addiction. In: Bickel WK, Vuchinich R (eds) Reframing health behavior change with behavioral economics. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, pp 63–87
Carroll ME, Lac ST (1992) The effects of buprenorphine on self-administration of cocaine and a nondrug reinforcer in rats. Psychopharmacology 106:439–446
Carroll ME, Lac ST, Nygaard SL (1989) A concurrently available nondrug reinforcer prevents the acquisition or decreases the maintenance of cocaine-reinforced behavior. Psychopharmacology 97:23–29
Carroll ME, Bickel WK, Higgins ST (2001) Nondrug incentives to treat drug abuse: laboratory and clinical developments. In: Carroll ME, Overmier JB (eds) Animal research and human psychological health: advancing human welfare through behavioral science. American Psychological Association, Washington, pp 139–154
Carroll ME, Anker JJ, Perry JL (2009a) Modeling risk factors for nicotine and other drug abuse in the preclinical laboratory. Drug Alcohol Depend 104:S70–S78
Carroll ME, Mach JL, LaNasa RM, Newman JL (2009b) Impulsivity as a measure of withdrawal of orally-delivered PCP and nondrug rewards in male and female monkeys. Psychopharmacology 207:85–98
Charilaou M, Karekla M, Constantinou M, Price S (2009) Relationship between physical activity and type of smoking behavior among adolescents and young adults in Cyprus. Nicotine Tob Res 11:969–976
Chen HI, Kuo YM, Liao CH, Jen CJ, Huang AM, Cherng CG, Su SW, Yu L (2008) Long-term compulsive exercise reduces the rewarding efficacy of 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine. Behav Brain Res 187:185–189
Cleland BS, Foster TM, Temple W (2000) Resurgence: the role of extinction. Behav Processes 52:117–129
Collingwood TR, Reynolds R, Kohl HW, Smith W, Sloan S (1991) Physical fitness effects on substance abuse risk factors and use patterns. J Drug Educ 21:73–84
Collingwood TR, Sunderlin J, Reynolds R, Kohl HW 3rd (2000) Physical training as a substance abuse prevention intervention for youth. J Drug Educ 30:435–451
Comer SD, Lac ST, Wyvell CL, Curtis LK, Carroll ME (1995) Food deprivation affects extinction and reinstatement of responding in rats. Psychopharmacology 121:150–157
Corwin RL, Wojnicki FH (2006) Binge eating in rats with limited access to vegetable shortening. Curr Protoc Neurosci Chapter 9: Unit9 23B
Cosgrove KP, Carroll ME (2003) Differential effects of a nondrug reinforcer, saccharin, on oral self-administration of phencyclidine (PCP) in male and female rhesus monkeys. Psychopharmacology 170:9–16
Cosgrove KP, Hunter R, Carroll ME (2002) Wheel-running attenuates intravenous cocaine self-administration in rats: sex differences. Pharm Biochem Behav 73:663–671
Daniel JZ, Cropley M, Fife-Schaw C (2007) Acute exercise effects on smoking withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke are not related to expectation. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 195:125–129
Di Chiara V, Errico F, Musella A, Rossi S, Mataluni G, Sachetti L, Siracusano A, Castelli M, Cavasinni F, Bernardi G, Usiello A, Centonze D (2009) Voluntary exercise and sucrose consumption enhance cannabinoid CB1 receptor sensitivity in the striatum. Neuropsychopharmacology 35:374–387
Dishman RK (1997) Brain monoamines, exercise, and behavioral stress: animal models. Med Sci Sports Exerc 29:63–74
Eikelboom R, Mills R (1988) A microanalysis of wheel running in male and female rats. Physiol Behav 43:625–630
Epstein R (1983) Resurgence of previously reinforced behavior during extinction. Behav Anal Lett 3:391–397
Fisher BE, Petzinger GM, Nixon K, Hogg E, Bremmer S, Meshul CK, Jakowec MW (2004) Exercise-induced behavioral recovery and neuroplasticity in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine-lesioned mouse basal ganglia. J Neurosci Res 77:378–390
Fulk LJ, Stock HS, Lynn A, Marshall J, Wilson MA, Hand GA (2004) Chronic physical exercise reduces anxiety-like behavior in rats. Int J Sports Med 25:78–82
Grimm JW, Osincup D, Wells B, Manaois M, Fyall A, Buse C, Harkness JH (2008) Environmental enrichment attenuates cue-induced reinstatement of surose seeking in rats. Behav Pharmacol 19:777–785
Gyertyan I, Kiss B, Gal K, Laszlovszky I, Horvath A, Gemesi LI, Saghy K, Pasztor G, Zajer M, Kapas M, Csongor EA, Domany G, Tihanyi K, Szombathelyi Z (2007) Effects of RGH-237 [N-{4-[4-(3-aminocarbonyl-phenyl)-piperazin-1-yl]-butyl}-4-bromo-benzamide ], an orally active, selective dopamine D(3) receptor partial agonist in animal models of cocaine abuse. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 320:1268–1278
Hattori S, Naoi M, Nishino H (1994) Striatal dopamine turnover during treadmill running in the rat: relation to the speed of running. Brain Res Bull 35:41–49
Higgins ST (1997) The influence of alternative reinforcers on cocaine use and abuse: a brief review. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 57:419–427
Jones LC, Bellingham WP, Ward LC (1990) Sex differences in voluntary locomotor activity of food-restricted and ad libitum-fed rats. Implications for the maintenance of a body weight set-point. Comp Biochem Physiol 96:287–290
Kalivas PW, McFarland K (2003) Brain circuitry and the reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 168:44–56
Kampman KM, Alterman AI, Volpicelli JR, Maany I, Muller ES, Luce DD, Mulholland EM, Jawad AF, Parikh GA, Mulvaney FD, Weinrieb RM, O’Brien CP (2001a) Cocaine withdrawal symptoms and initial urine toxicology results predict treatment attrition in outpatient cocaine dependence treatment. Psychol Addict Behav 15:52–59
Kampman KM, Volpicelli JR, Mulvaney F, Alterman AI, Cornish J, Gariti P, Cnaan A, Poole S, Muller E, Acosta T, Luce D, O’Brien C (2001b) Effectiveness of propranolol for cocaine dependence treatment may depend on cocaine withdrawal symptom severity. Drug Alcohol Depend 63:69–78
Kanarek RB, Marks-Kaufman R (1988) Animal models of appetitive behavior: interaction of nutritional factors and drug seeking behavior. Curr Concepts Nutr 16:1–25
Kanarek RB, Marks-Kaufman R, D’Anci KE, Przypek J (1995) Exercise attenuates oral intake of amphetamine in rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 51:725–729
Kelamangalath L, Wagner JJ (2009) Effects of abstinence or extinction on cocaine seeking as a function of withdrawal duration. Behav Pharmacol 20:195–203
Khabour OF, Alzoubi KH, Alomari MA, Alzubi MA (2009) Changes in spatial memory and BDNF expression to concurrent dietary restriction and voluntary exercise. Hippocampus. doi:10.1002/hipo.20657
Klebaur JE, Phillips SB, Kelly TH, Bardo MT (2001) Exposure to novel environmental stimuli decreases amphetamine self-administration in rats. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 9:372–379
Koob GF (2009) New dimensions in human laboratory models of addiction. Addict Biol 14:1–8
Korhonen T, Kujala UM, Rose RJ, Kaprio J (2009) Physical activity in adolescence as a predictor of alcohol and illicit drug use in early adulthood: a longitudinal population-based twin study. Twin Res Hum Genet 12:261–268
Kujala UM, Kaprio J, Rose RJ (2007) Physical activity in adolescence and smoking in young adulthood: a prospective twin cohort study. Addiction 102:1151–1157
Lambert KG, Kinsley CH (1993) Sex differences and gonadal hormones influence susceptibility to the activity-stress paradigm. Physiol Behav 53:1085–1090
Larson EB, Carroll ME (2007) Estrogen receptor beta, but not alpha, mediates estrogen's effect on cocaine-induced reinstatement of extinguished cocaineseeking behavior in ovariectomized female rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 32:1334–1345
Lattanzio SB, Eikelboom R (2003) Wheel access duration in rats: I. Effects on feeding and running. Behav Neurosci 117:496–504
Leitenberg H, Rawson RA, Bath K (1970) Reinforcement of competing behavior during extinction. Science 169:301–303
Lett BT, Grant VL, Byrne MJ, Koh MT (2000) Pairings of a distinctive chamber with the aftereffect of wheel running produce conditioned place preference. Appetite 34:87–94
Liu C, Grigson PS (2005) Brief access to sweets protect against relapse to cocaine-seeking. Brain Res 1049:128–131
Lussier JP, Heil SH, Mongeon JA, Badger GJ, Higgins ST (2006) A meta-analysis of voucher-based reinforcement therapy for substance use disorders. Addiction 101:192–203
Macias M, Dwornik A, Ziemlinska E, Fehr S, Schachner M, Czarkowska-Bauch J, Skup M (2007) Locomotor exercise alters expression of pro-brain-derived neurotrophic factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and its receptor TrkB in the spinal cord of adult rats. Eur J Neurosci 25:2425–2444
Mantsch JR, Yuferov V, Mathieu-Kia AM, Ho A, Kreek MJ (2004) Effects of extended access to high versus low cocaine doses on self-administration, cocaine-induced reinstatement and brain mRNA levels in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 175:26–36
Marlatt GA (1990) Cue exposure and relapse prevention in the treatment of addictive behaviors. Addict Behav 15:395–399
McMillan DE, McClure GY, Hardwick WC (1995) Effects of access to a running wheel on food, water and ethanol intake in rats bred to accept ethanol. Drug Alcohol Depend 40:1–7
Meeusen R (2005) Exercise and the brain: insight in new therapeutic modalities. Ann Transplant 10:49–51
Micheli F, Bonanomi G, Blaney FE, Braggio S, Capelli AM, Checchia A, Curcuruto O, Damiani F, Fabio RD, Donati D, Gentile G, Gribble A, Hamprecht D, Tedesco G, Terreni S, Tarsi L, Lightfoot A, Stemp G, Macdonald G, Smith A, Pecoraro M, Petrone M, Perini O, Piner J, Rossi T, Worby A, Pilla M, Valerio E, Griffante C, Mugnaini M, Wood M, Scott C, Andreoli M, Lacroix L, Schwarz A, Gozzi A, Bifone A, Ashby CR Jr, Hagan JJ, Heidbreder C (2007) 1, 2, 4-Triazol-3-yl-thiopropyl-tetrahydrobenzazepines: a series of potent and selective dopamine D(3) receptor antagonists. J Med Chem 50:5076–5089
Mulick JA, Leitenberg H, Rawson RA (1976) Alternative response training, differential reinforcement of other behavior, and extinction in squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus). J Exp Anal Behav 25:311–320
National Research Council (2003) Guide for the care and use of mammals in neuroscience and behavioral research. National Academies, Washington
Neeper SA, Gomez-Pinilla F, Choi J, Cotman CW (1996) Physical activity increases mRNA for brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor in rat brain. Brain Res 726:49–56
O’Dell LE, Chen SA, Smith RT, Specio SE, Balster RL, Paterson NE, Markou A, Zorrilla EP, Koob GF (2007) Extended access to nicotine self-administration leads to dependence: circadian measures, withdrawal measures, and extinction behavior in rats. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 320:180–193
Olmstead TA, Petry NM (2009) The cost-effectiveness of prize-based and voucher-based contingency management in a population of cocaine-or opioid-dependent outpatients. Drug Alcohol Depend 102:108–115
Palmer J, Vacc N, Epstein J (1988) Adult inpatient alcoholics: physical exercise as a treatment intervention. J Stud Alcohol 49:418–421
Parsons LH, Koob GF, Weiss F (1995) Serotonin dysfunction in the nucleus accumbens of rats during withdrawal after unlimited access to intravenous cocaine. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 274:1182–1191
Pendergast DR, Lindholm P, Wylegala J, Warkander D, Lundgren CE (2006) Effects of respiratory muscle training on respiratory CO2 sensitivity in SCUBA divers. Undersea Hyperb Med 33:447–453
Petzinger GM, Walsh JP, Akopian G, Hogg E, Abernathy A, Arevalo P, Turnquist P, Vuckovic M, Fisher BE, Togasaki DM, Jakowec MW (2007) Effects of treadmill exercise on dopaminergic transmission in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine-lesioned mouse model of basal ganglia injury. J Neurosci 27:5291–5300
Pich EM, Pagliusi SR, Tessari M, Talabot-Ayer D, Hooft van Huijsduijnen R, Chiamulera C (1997) Common neural substrates for the addictive properties of nicotine and cocaine. Science 275:83–86
Ping A, Kruzich PJ (2008) Concurrent access to sucrose pellets decreases methamphetamine-seeking behavior in Lewis rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 90:492–496
Podlesnik CA, Jimenez-Gomez STA (2006) Resurgence of alcohol seeking produced by discontinuing non-drug reinforcement as an animal model of drug relapse. Behav Pharmacol 17:369–374
Rodefer JS, Carroll ME (1997) A comparison of progressive ratio schedules vs behavioral economic measures: effect of an alternative reinforcer on the reinforcing efficacy of phencyclidine. Psychopharmacology 132:95–103
Rossetti ZL, Melis F, Carboni S, Gessa GL (1992) Dramatic depletion of mesolimbic extracellular dopamine after withdrawal from morphine, alcohol or cocaine: a common neurochemical substrate for drug dependence. Ann N Y Acad Sci 654:513–516
Sarbadhikari SN, Saha AK (2006) Moderate exercise and chronic stress produce counteractive effects on different areas of the brain by acting through various neurotransmitter receptor subtypes: a hypothesis. Theor Biol Med Model 3:33
Schenk S, Lacelle G, Gorman K, Amit Z (1987) Cocaine self-administration in rats influenced by environmental conditions: implications for the etiology of drug abuse. Neurosci Lett 81:227–231
Schmidt HD, Pierce RC (2006) Systemic administration of a dopamine, but not a serotonin or norepinephrine, transporter inhibitor reinstates cocaine seeking in the rat. Behav Brain Res 175:189–194
Shalev U, Grimm JW, Shaham Y (2002) Neurobiology of relapse to heroin and cocaine seeking: a review. Pharmacol Rev 54:1–42
Sindelar JL, Olmstead TA, Peirce JM (2007) Cost-effectiveness of prize-based contingency management in methadone maintenance treatment programs. Addiction 102:1463–1471
Sinyor D, Brown T, Rostant L, Seraganian P (1982) The role of a physical fitness program in the treatment of alcoholism. J Stud Alcohol 43:380–386
Smith MA, Schmidt KT, Iordanou JC, Mustroph ML (2008) Aerobic exercise decreases the positive-reinforcing effects of cocaine. Drug Alcohol Depend 98:129–135
Solinas M, Chauvet C, Thiriet N, El Rawas R, Jaber M (2008) Reversal of cocaine addiction by environmental enrichment. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 105:17145–17150
Stairs DJ, Klein ED, Bardo MT (2006) Effects of environmental enrichment on extinction and reinstatement of amphetamine self-administration and sucrose-maintained responding. Behav Pharmacol 17:597–604
Taylor A, Katomeri M (2007) Walking reduces cue-elicited cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms, and delays ad libitum smoking. Nicotine Tob Res 9:1183–1190
Taylor AH, Ussher MH, Faulkner G (2007) The acute effects of exercise on cigarette cravings, withdrawal symptoms, affect and smoking behaviour: a systematic review. Addiction 102:534–543
Ussher M, Nunziata P, Cropley M, West R (2001) Effect of a short bout of exercise on tobacco withdrawal symptoms and desire to smoke. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 158:66–72
Ussher M, West R, Doshi R, Sampuran AK (2006) Acute effect of isometric exercise on desire to smoke and tobacco withdrawal symptoms. Hum Psychopharmacol 21:39–46
Ussher MH, Owen CG, Cook DG, Whincup PH (2007) The relationship between physical activity, sedentary behaviour and psychological wellbeing among adolescents. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatri Epidemiol 42:851–856
Ussher M, Cropley M, Playle S, Mohidin R, West R (2009) Effect of isometric exercise and body scanning on cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Addiction 104:1251–1257
Weinstock J, Barry D, Petry NM (2008) Exercise-related activities are associated with positive outcome in contingency management treatment for substance use disorders. Addict Behav 33:1072–1075
Werme M, Thoren P, Olson L, Brene S (2000) Running and cocaine both upregulate dynorphin mRNA in medial caudate putamen. Eur J Neurosci 12:2967–2974
Werme M, Messer C, Olson L, Gilden L, Thoren P, Nestler EJ, Brene S (2002) Delta FosB regulates wheel running. J Neurosci 22:8133–8138
Widenfalk J, Olson L, Thoren P (1999) Deprived of habitual running, rats downregulate BDNF and TrkB messages in the brain. Neurosci Res 34:125–132
Wilson KG, Hayes SC (1996) Resurgence of derived stimulus relations. J Exp Anal Behav 66:267–281
Wise RA, Newton P, Leeb K, Burnette B, Pocock D, Justice JB Jr (1995) Fluctuations in nucleus accumbens dopamine concentration during intravenous cocaine self-administration in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 120:10–20
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, R01 DA 003240-25, K05 015267-07 (MEC), and F31 DA 023301-02 (JJA). The authors would like to thank Nathan Holtz, Emily Kidd, Brandon Knight, Kinner Patel, Amy Saykao, Matthew Starr, Rachael Turner, Troy Velie, and Jeremy Williams for their technical assistance.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zlebnik, N.E., Anker, J.J., Gliddon, L.A. et al. Reduction of extinction and reinstatement of cocaine seeking by wheel running in female rats. Psychopharmacology 209, 113–125 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-010-1776-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-010-1776-0