On the role of ascending catecholaminergic systems in intravenous self-administration of cocaine

doi:10.1016/0091-3057(77)90084-3

Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior

Volume 6, Issue 6, June 1977, Pages 615-620

https://doi.org/10.1016/0091-3057(77)90084-3 Get rights and content

Abstract

The role of ascending noradrenergic (NA) and dopaminergic (DA) systems in intravenous self-administration of cocaine in rats was investigated by examining the effects of 6-hydroxydopamine-induced lesions of these systems on responding for the drug on a FR-1 schedule of reinforcement. Lesions of the dorsal and ventral NA bundles that reduced hippocampal-cortical NA by 96% and hypothalamic NA by 72% failed to have any effects on responding for cocaine. Lesions of the nucleus accumbens that reduced the DA content of this nucleus by 90% resulted in a significant and long-lasting (15 days) reduction in self-administration of cocaine. Apomorphine self-administration was not affected in the same animals. Identical lesions of the n accumbens had only transient (2–3 days) effects on food-reinforced operant responding, suggesting that the prolonged disruption of cocaine self-administration was not the result of motor deficits. The results are discussed with reference to the possibility that DA terminals in the n accumbens may mediate some of the positive reinforcing properties of cocaine.

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On the role of ascending catecholaminergic systems in intravenous self-administration of cocaine

Abstract

Biochem. Pharmac.

Pharmac. Biochem. Behav.

Brain Res.

Life Sci.

Pharmac. Biochem. Behav.

Pharmac. Biochem. Behav.

Pharmac. Biochem. Behav.

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Neuroscience Letters

Eur. J. Pharmac.

Evidence for dopamine receptor stimulation by apomorphine

J. Pharm. Pharmac.

Substantia nigra self-stimulation: Dependence on noradrenergic reward pathways

Behav. Biol.

Modification of the punishing effects of psychoactive drugs in rats by previous drug experience

J. comp. physiol. Psychol.

On the role of ascending catecholaminergic projections in intracranial self-stimulation of the substantia nigra

Brain Res.

A role for dopamine in the psycho-pharmacology of electrical self-stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus, substantia nigra, and locus coeruleus

The Functional Significance of Brain Mono-Aminergic Systems — Pharmacological and Biochemical Approaches

Catecholamine-containing neurons and electrical self-stimulation: 1. A review of some data

Psychol. Med.

Blocking effect of α-methyltyrosine on amphetamine based reinforcement

J. Pharm. Pharmac.

Effect of haloperidol on (+)-amphetamine self-administration

J. Pharm. Pharmac.

Decreased intracranial self-stimulation after neuroleptics or 6-hydroxydopamine: Evidence for mediation by motor deficits rather than by reduced reward

Psychopharmacology