Effects of Stress on the Reinstatement of Cocaine-Seeking Behavior Between Rats Selectively Bred for High and Low Saccharin Intake
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Authors
Holtzman, Alexander L.
Issue Date
2011
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
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Abstract
Cocaine is one of the most addictive, most dangerous, and most widely abused illegal drugs
in the world (Hecht, 2011 ). Because cocaine is so addictive and dangerous, cocaine abuse
and cocaine addiction pose a threat to the health, safety, and well being of society as a whole,
as well as the individuals using cocaine. In order to improve treatment strategies for cocaine
dependance, it is crucial to gain understanding into what causes cocaine abuse, and what
traits make individuals more susceptible to cocaine abuse. Stress has been shown as a
predicting factor in relapsing into cocaine-seeking behavior after abstinence, and genetic
factors in substance abuse have been examined in human and animal models alike (Perry &
Carroll, 2008). In order to model the heritability of drug abuse and drug intake, selectively
bred rats for high and low saccharin consumption were used as the subjects in this proposed
experiment, with stress level as an aditional independent variable. This proposed experiment
utilized a four group design, examining differences in cocaine reinstatement after a period of
cocaine extinction in rats between a high saccharin stress group (HiSS), a high saccharin no
stress group (HiSN), a low saccharin stress group (LoSS), and a low saccharin no stress
group (LoSN). Cocaine reinstatement between these four groups was examined in order to
determine if there is a relation in genetic predisposition for saccharin intake and stress inf
reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior in rats. Results would indicate whether or not
there is a difference in the relationship between stress and cocaine reinstatement between rats
bred for high and low saccharin intake. From this information it would be possible to design
more effective personalized treatment strategies for individuals based upon their stress levels
and their genetic predisposition for drug abuse.
Description
v, 55 p.
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