Source Paper
Prefrontal Glutamate Release into the Core of the Nucleus Accumbens Mediates Cocaine-Induced Reinstatement of Drug-Seeking Behavior
Krista McFarland, Christopher C. Lapish, Peter W. Kalivas
Journal of Neuroscience • 2003
Food Reinforcement Control Test
Objective: Determine if glutamate elevation during reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior is specific to cocaine reinforcement by testing reinstatement of lever pressing for food as a control
This is a Food Reinforcement Control Test protocol using Not explicitly stated in provided text as the model organism. The procedure involves 6 procedural steps, 1 equipment items. Extracted from a 2003 paper published in Journal of Neuroscience.
Model and subjects
Not explicitly stated in provided text • Not explicitly stated in provided text • unknown • Not explicitly stated in provided text • Not explicitly stated in provided text
Study window
Estimated timing pending
Core workflow
Establish cocaine self-administration baseline • Extinction phase • Cocaine-priming reinstatement test
Primary readouts
- Extracellular glutamate levels in nucleus accumbens during food-reinforced lever pressing
- Extracellular dopamine levels in nucleus accumbens during food-reinforced lever pressing
- Lever pressing frequency during food reinforcement reinstatement
- Comparison of glutamate elevation between cocaine and food reinforcement conditions
Key equipment and reagents
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Protocol Steps
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Establish cocaine self-administration baseline
Train animals to self-administer cocaine via lever pressing until behavior is established
Note: This establishes the baseline behavior to be extinguished
View evidence from paper
“extinguished cocaine self-administration behavior was reinstated”
Extinction phase
Extinguish cocaine self-administration behavior by removing cocaine reinforcement while maintaining lever access
Note: Animals learn that lever pressing no longer produces cocaine
View evidence from paper
“extinguished cocaine self-administration behavior was reinstated”
Cocaine-priming reinstatement test
Administer a cocaine-priming injection to reinstate lever pressing behavior in extinguished animals
Note: Measure lever pressing reinstatement and concurrent glutamate and dopamine levels
View evidence from paper
“When extinguished cocaine self-administration behavior was reinstated by a cocaine-priming injection”
Food reinforcement control test
Test reinstatement of lever pressing for food reinforcement to determine if glutamate elevation is specific to drug reinforcement
Note: Measure extracellular glutamate levels during food-reinforced lever pressing reinstatement
View evidence from paper
“reinstatement of lever pressing for food did not elevate extracellular glutamate”
Lever withdrawal test
Withdraw levers from operant chamber during cocaine-priming reinstatement to test if glutamate elevation depends on lever pressing behavior
Note: Determine if glutamate increase is due to the act of lever pressing itself
View evidence from paper
“the cocaine self-administration group still demonstrated elevated glutamate when the levers were withdrawn from the operant chamber”
Yoked control administration
Administer cocaine prime to yoked cocaine or saline control subjects who do not perform lever pressing
Note: Compare glutamate and dopamine levels in non-responding animals
View evidence from paper
“when yoked cocaine or saline control subjects were administered a cocaine prime, only dopamine levels were elevated”