David Dietz1, Hui Wang, Mohamed Kabbaj. 1. Florida State University, College of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Program in Neuroscience, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4300, United States.
Abstract
RATIONALE: In some rats, the hormone corticosterone is reinforcing. High novelty-seeking rats (high responders, HR) self-administered corticosterone at a much higher rate than low novelty-seeking rats (low responders, LR) do [Piazza PV, Deroche V, Deminiere JM, Maccari S, Le Moal M, Simon H, Corticosterone in the range of stress-induced levels possesses reinforcing properties: implications for sensation-seeking behaviors, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1993;90:11738-42]. While previous studies demonstrated that corticosterone reinforces nose poking in a self-administration paradigm, no studies to date have examined whether corticosterone is rewarding. OBJECTIVE: Using the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm, we examined the rewarding effects of corticosterone in HR and LR rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were classified into HR and LR groups based on their locomotor activity in a novel environment. Subsequently, independent groups of HR and LR rats underwent CPP for corticosterone (0, 2.5 or 10 mg/kg; i.p.) or cocaine (12 mg/kg; i.p). CPP for cocaine was used as a positive control. RESULTS: While cocaine produced a strong CPP in both HR and LR rats, corticosterone failed to produce either preference or aversion in both phenotypes. CONCLUSION: Corticosterone is neither rewarding nor aversive in either behavioral phenotype.
RATIONALE: In some rats, the hormone corticosterone is reinforcing. High novelty-seeking rats (high responders, HR) self-administered corticosterone at a much higher rate than low novelty-seeking rats (low responders, LR) do [Piazza PV, Deroche V, Deminiere JM, Maccari S, Le Moal M, Simon H, Corticosterone in the range of stress-induced levels possesses reinforcing properties: implications for sensation-seeking behaviors, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1993;90:11738-42]. While previous studies demonstrated that corticosterone reinforces nose poking in a self-administration paradigm, no studies to date have examined whether corticosterone is rewarding. OBJECTIVE: Using the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm, we examined the rewarding effects of corticosterone in HR and LR rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were classified into HR and LR groups based on their locomotor activity in a novel environment. Subsequently, independent groups of HR and LR rats underwent CPP for corticosterone (0, 2.5 or 10 mg/kg; i.p.) or cocaine (12 mg/kg; i.p). CPP for cocaine was used as a positive control. RESULTS: While cocaine produced a strong CPP in both HR and LR rats, corticosterone failed to produce either preference or aversion in both phenotypes. CONCLUSION:Corticosterone is neither rewarding nor aversive in either behavioral phenotype.
Authors: Thomas Horman; Maria Fernanda Fernandes; Yan Zhou; Benjamin Fuller; Melissa Tigert; Francesco Leri Journal: Psychopharmacology (Berl) Date: 2018-08-15 Impact factor: 4.530
Authors: M Carmen Arenas; María A Aguilar; Sandra Montagud-Romero; Ana Mateos-García; Concepción I Navarro-Francés; José Miñarro; Marta Rodríguez-Arias Journal: Curr Neuropharmacol Date: 2016 Impact factor: 7.363