Aerobic exercise decreases the positive-reinforcing effects of cocaine

Abstract

Aerobic exercise can serve as an alternative, non-drug reinforcer in laboratory animals and has been recommended as a potential intervention for substance abusing populations. Unfortunately, relatively little empirical data have been collected that specifically address the possible protective effects of voluntary, long-term exercise on measures of drug self-administration. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of chronic exercise on sensitivity to the positive-reinforcing effects of cocaine in the drug self-administration procedure. Female rats were obtained at weaning and immediately divided into two groups. Sedentary rats were housed individually in standard laboratory cages that permitted no exercise beyond normal cage ambulation; exercising rats were housed individually in modified cages equipped with a running wheel. After 6 weeks under these conditions, rats were surgically implanted with venous catheters and trained to self-administer cocaine on a fixedratio schedule of reinforcement. Once self-administration was acquired, cocaine was made available on a progressive ratio schedule and breakpoints were obtained for various doses of cocaine. Sedentary and exercising rats did not differ in the time to acquire cocaine self-administration or responding on the fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement. However, on the progressive ratio schedule, breakpoints were significantly lower in exercising rats than sedentary rats when responding was maintained by both low (0.3 mg/kg/infusion) and high (1.0 mg/kg/infusion) doses of cocaine. In exercising rats, greater exercise output prior to catheter implantation was associated with lower breakpoints at the high dose of cocaine. These data indicate that chronic exercise decreases the positive-reinforcing effects of cocaine and support the possibility that exercise may be an effective intervention in drug abuse prevention and treatment programs.

Adult Neurogenesis and Psychiatric Disorders

“…The most intriguing findings are the negative correlations between the level of hippocampal neurogenesis and drug-taking or drug-seeking behaviors. Manipulations that enhance adult hippocampal neurogenesis, such as exposure to enriched environments, chronic treatment with antidepressants, or exercise, are associated with reduced drug-taking and a lower rate of relapse in animal models (Kanarek et al 1995;Baker et al 2001;Green et al 2002;Stairs et al 2006;Smith et al 2008). On the other hand, conditions that decrease neurogenesis in humans, including schizophrenia or stress Reif et al 2006), are associated with increased likelihood of drug addiction (Erb et al 1996;Chambers and Self 2002;Covington and Miczek 2005).…”

Compliance to Walking Type Exercise Among Obese Women Without Comorbidities

“…How- (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14) gr-II 162 11 (9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14) 10 (8-13) 10 (7-13) gr-IV 162 10 (7-14) 9 (7-14) 9 (6-14)…”

“…9 Aerobic exercise has been shown to be an important intervention for substance addicts. 10 Physical exercise programs also contribute to economy. In various studies, benefit per cost ratios for physical exercise programs vary from 0.76 to 3.43 with most ending up with a positive benefit per cost ratio.…”

Efectividad del ejercicio físico como intervención coadyuvante en las adicciones: una revisión

“…Debido al efecto del ejercicio físico sobre la activación de los mecanismos de neurotransmisión y las áreas de refuerzo (Dishman et al, 2006;Dishman y O'Connor, 2009) y su consiguiente función, demostrado en estudios preclínicos, como refuerzo alternativo al consumo de sustancias (Cosgrove, Hunter y Carroll, 2002;Smith y Lynch, 2011;Smith, Schmidt, Iordanou y Mustroph, 2008;Zlebnik, Anker, Gliddon y Carroll, 2010), el potencial del ejercicio físico como estrategia de intervención en el tratamiento de la dependencia del alcohol y/o de sustancias ilegales es, como mínimo una hipótesis digna de un mayor número de estudios. De hecho, incluso en el caso de consumidores de alcohol (Murphy, Pagano y Marlatt, 1986) y cannabis (Buchowski et al, 2011) que no se hallaban en tratamiento y no se mostraban interesados en abandonar dicho consumo, el ejercicio aeróbico parece mostrarse efectivo en la reducción del consumo.…”