Source Paper
Reduction of Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis Confers Vulnerability in an Animal Model of Cocaine Addiction
Michele A. Noonan, Sarah E. Bulin, Dwain C. Fuller, Amelia J. Eisch
Journal of Neuroscience • 2010
Dose-Response Curve Analysis
Objective: To analyze dose-response curves in cocaine self-administration and determine shifts between experimental groups (irradiated vs. control rats)
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Equipment4
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Materials2
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Software1
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Protocol Steps
Cranial irradiation treatment
Suppress adult hippocampal neurogenesis via cranial irradiation before drug-taking begins
Note: Applied before cocaine self-administration testing
View evidence from paper
“Suppression of adult hippocampal neurogenesis via cranial irradiation before drug-taking significantly increased cocaine self-administration”
Cocaine self-administration on fixed-ratio schedule
Measure cocaine self-administration behavior under fixed-ratio reinforcement schedule
Note: Performed in irradiated and control rats
View evidence from paper
“significantly increased cocaine self-administration on both fixed-ratio and progressive-ratio schedules”
Cocaine self-administration on progressive-ratio schedule
Measure cocaine self-administration behavior under progressive-ratio reinforcement schedule
Note: Performed in irradiated and control rats
View evidence from paper
“significantly increased cocaine self-administration on both fixed-ratio and progressive-ratio schedules”
Dose-response curve analysis
Test multiple cocaine doses to generate dose-response curves and identify vertical shifts between experimental groups
Note: Vertical shift in dose-response curve observed in irradiated rats
View evidence from paper
“induced a vertical shift in the dose–response curve”
Sucrose self-administration control
Measure sucrose self-administration to assess whether changes are specific to cocaine or represent general enhancement of learning and motivation
Note: Sucrose self-administration unchanged in irradiated rats, indicating specificity to cocaine
View evidence from paper
“sucrose self-administration and locomotor activity were unchanged in irradiated rats”
Locomotor activity assessment
Measure locomotor activity to assess whether changes represent general enhancement of locomotion
Note: Locomotor activity unchanged in irradiated rats
View evidence from paper
“sucrose self-administration and locomotor activity were unchanged in irradiated rats”
Post-drug-taking cranial irradiation
Apply cranial irradiation after drug-taking has occurred to suppress hippocampal neurogenesis
Note: Used to test effects on extinction of drug-seeking behavior
View evidence from paper
“Suppression of adult hippocampal neurogenesis after drug-taking significantly enhanced resistance to extinction of drug-seeking behavior”
Extinction testing
Measure resistance to extinction of drug-seeking behavior in rats with post-drug-taking irradiation
Note: Enhanced resistance to extinction observed in irradiated rats
View evidence from paper
“Suppression of adult hippocampal neurogenesis after drug-taking significantly enhanced resistance to extinction of drug-seeking behavior”