Source Paper
Dissociation in Conditioned Dopamine Release in the Nucleus Accumbens Core and Shell in Response to Cocaine Cues and during Cocaine-Seeking Behavior in Rats
Rutsuko Ito, Jeffrey W. Dalley, Simon R. Howes, Trevor W. Robbins, Barry J. Everitt
Journal of Neuroscience • 2000
Cocaine Self-Administration
Objective: To investigate neurochemical correlates of drug-seeking behavior by measuring dopamine release in nucleus accumbens core and shell during cocaine self-administration under continuous reinforcement and second-order schedules, and in response to cocaine-associated cues
This is a Cocaine Self-Administration protocol using rat as the model organism. The procedure involves 3 procedural steps, 4 equipment items, 1 materials. Extracted from a 2000 paper published in Journal of Neuroscience.
Model and subjects
rat • Not specified • unknown • Not specified • Not specified
Study window
~1.5 hour study window | ~1.5 hours hands-on
Core workflow
Continuous reinforcement schedule training • Second-order schedule establishment • Microdialysis session with noncontingent stimulus presentations
Primary readouts
- Nucleus accumbens dopamine levels in core and shell during intravenous cocaine self-administration
- Dopamine release in response to noncontingent presentations of cocaine-associated CS+
- Dopamine release in response to neutral tone stimuli (CS−)
- Extracellular dopamine levels during protracted drug-seeking behavior under control of cocaine-associated cue
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Continuous reinforcement schedule training
Rats self-administered cocaine under continuous reinforcement schedule where a response on one of two identical levers led to an intravenous cocaine infusion of 0.25 mg with a 20 second light conditioned stimulus presentation
Note: Initial training phase establishing baseline self-administration behavior
View evidence from paper
“Rats self-administered cocaine under a continuous reinforcement schedule in which a response on one of two identical levers led to an intravenous cocaine infusion (0.25 mg/infusion) and a 20 sec light CS+”
Second-order schedule establishment
Response requirements for cocaine and the CS+ were progressively increased until stable responding was established under a second-order schedule of reinforcement
Note: Progressive increase in response requirements to establish second-order schedule
View evidence from paper
“Response requirements for cocaine and the CS+ were then progressively increased until stable responding was established under a second-order schedule of reinforcement”
Microdialysis session with noncontingent stimulus presentations
During microdialysis, rats were presented noncontingently with a set of 10 second CS+ and neutral tone stimuli (CS−) before and after a 90 minute period during which they responded for cocaine under a second-order schedule
Note: Noncontingent presentations allow measurement of dopamine response to cues independent of active responding
View evidence from paper
“During microdialysis, rats were presented noncontingently with a set of 10 sec CS+ and neutral tone stimuli (CS−) before and after a 90 min period during which they responded for cocaine under a second-order schedule”