Amphetamine pretreatment facilitates appetitive sexual behaviors in the female rat

Afonso, Veronica M.; Mueller, Devin; Stewart, Jane; Pfaus, James G.

doi:10.1007/s00213-009-1511-x

Cited by 29 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…One explanation for these results is that amphetamine sensitization may enhance control by the system responsible for general incentive motivation, and this enhancement may supersede the performance of stimulus-outcome based responding. This explanation is consistent with the notion that amphetamine sensitization involves a broadening of incentive motivation to non-drug reinforcers, which has been observed in animal studies (Afonso et al 2009; Corbit and Janak 2007; Fiorino and Phillips 1999; Wyvell and Berridge 2001). In the present experiments, the PIT test was conducted with a single lever, and therefore rats had a single response option, which may have promoted responding in an outcome-insensitive manner.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Furthermore, repeated exposure to certain abused substances, such as psychostimulants, enhances craving elicited by natural (i.e., non-drug) reward-associated cues. For example, prior repeated exposure to amphetamine enhances approach and incentive-motivational responses to a conditioned stimulus (CS) that is associated in a Pavlovian manner with delivery of natural rewards such as food or access to mates (Afonso et al 2009; Harmer and Phillips 1998; Mendez et al 2009; Simon et al 2009; Taylor and Jentsch 2001; Wyvell and Berridge 2001). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The effects of amphetamine exposure on outcome-selective Pavlovian-instrumental transfer in rats

Shiflett

2012

Psychopharmacology

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Rationale Repeated exposure to psychostimulants alters behavioral responses to reward-related cues; however, the motivational underpinnings of this effect have not been fully characterized. Objectives The following study was designed to examine how amphetamine sensitization affects performance in rats on a series of Pavlovian and operant tasks that distinguish between general-incentive and outcome-selective forms of conditioned responses. Methods Adult male rats underwent Pavlovian and instrumental training for food pellet rewards. Following training, rats were sensitized to d-amphetamine (2 mg/kg for 7 days). Rats were subsequently tested on an outcome-selective Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT) task, an outcome-reinstatement task, and an outcome devaluation task. Additionally, in a separate experiment PIT was assessed in amphetamine-sensitized and control rats using a Pavlovian backward-conditioned stimulus. Results Repeated amphetamine exposure sensitized locomotor activity to acute amphetamine challenge. Amphetamine altered responses to CS presentations by increasing conditioned approach. During tests of PIT amphetamine-treated rats showed no outcome-selectivity in their responding, responding to a CS whether or not it shared a common outcome with the instrumental response. No effect of amphetamine sensitization was observed on tests of outcome-selective reinstatement by outcome delivery, or action selection based on outcome value. Amphetamine-sensitized rats showed impaired outcome-selective PIT to a backward CS but were unaltered in conditioned approach. Conclusions Amphetamine sensitization prevents outcome-selective responding during PIT, which is dissociable from amphetamine’s effects on conditioned approach. These data suggest fundamental alterations in how stimuli motivate action in addiction.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effects of amphetamine exposure on outcome-selective Pavlovian-instrumental transfer in rats

Shiflett

2012

Psychopharmacology

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“…Finally, comparison virgin rat controls were not included in the present study. As mentioned in the methods section, the amphetamine sensitization paradigm used here has been reported to produce long-term sensitization in female rats (Afonso et al, 2009). It also known that virgin rats a more fearful and less resilient to stress than lactating rats and therefore the present results might vary, perhaps be of greater magnitude, in virgin versus lactating rats (Slattery and Neumann, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Rats were provided with amphetamine injections every other day for 3 days (3 days of injection). This schedule of amphetamine injections has previously been shown to produce sensitization in Long Evans female rats (Afonso et al, 2009) that result in long lasting behavioral effects (ca. 22 days of withdrawal before subsequent testing).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increased BOLD activation to predator stressor in subiculum and midbrain of amphetamine-sensitized maternal rats

Febo

Pira

2011

Brain Research

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Amphetamine, which is known to cause sensitization, potentiates the hormonal and neurobiological signatures of stress and may also increase sensitivity to stress-inducing stimuli in limbic areas. Trimethylthiazoline (5 μL TMT) is a chemical constituent of fox feces that evokes innate fear and activates the neuronal and hormonal signatures of stress in rats. We used blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) MRI to test whether amphetamine sensitization (1 mg/kg, i.p. X 3 days) in female rats has a lasting effect on the neural response to a stress-evoking stimulus, the scent of a predator, during the postpartum period. The subiculum and dopamine-enriched midbrain VTA/SN of amphetamine-sensitized, but not control mothers showed a greater BOLD signal response to predator odor than a control putrid scent. The greater responsiveness of these two brain regions following stimulant sensitization might impact neural processing in response to stressors in the maternal brain.

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“…Interestingly, the reverse phenomenon has been demonstrated in rats, in that females with previous drug exposure will display increased appetitive behaviors, i.e. hopping and darting towards a copulating male rat, without a change in the expression of lordosis [3]. These data suggest that previous exposure to drugs of abuse enhances the “motivational” control of sexual behavior without affecting the reflexive lordotic components.…”

Section: Sexual Experience Sensitizes the Mesolimbic Dopamine Systemmentioning

confidence: 96%

Neural mechanisms of reproduction in females as a predisposing factor for drug addiction

Hedges

Staffend

Meisel

2010

Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology

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There is an increasing awareness that adolescent females differ from males in their response to drugs of abuse and consequently in their vulnerability to addiction. One possible component of this vulnerability to drug addiction is the neurobiological impact that reproductive physiology and behaviors have on the mesolimbic dopamine system, a key neural pathway mediating drug addiction. In this review, we examine animal models that address the impact of ovarian cyclicity, sexual affiliation, sexual behavior, and maternal care on the long-term plasticity of the mesolimbic dopamine system. The thesis is that this plasticity in synaptic neurotransmission stemming from an individual's normal life history contributes to the pathological impact of drugs of abuse on the neurobiology of this system. Hormones released during reproductive cycles have only transient effects on these dopamine systems, whereas reproductive behaviors produce a persistent sensitization of dopamine release and postsynaptic neuronal responsiveness. Puberty itself may not represent a neurobiological risk factor for drug abuse, but attendant behavioral experiences may have a negative impact on females engaging in drug use.

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Amphetamine pretreatment facilitates appetitive sexual behaviors in the female rat

Cited by 29 publications

References 53 publications

The effects of amphetamine exposure on outcome-selective Pavlovian-instrumental transfer in rats

The effects of amphetamine exposure on outcome-selective Pavlovian-instrumental transfer in rats

Increased BOLD activation to predator stressor in subiculum and midbrain of amphetamine-sensitized maternal rats

Neural mechanisms of reproduction in females as a predisposing factor for drug addiction

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