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Prepubertal Fischer 344 rats display stronger morphine‐induced taste avoidance than prepubertal Lewis rats
Author(s) -
Hurwitz Zachary E.,
Cobuzzi Jennifer L.,
Merluzzi Andrew P.,
Wetzell Bradley,
Riley Anthony L.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
developmental psychobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.055
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1098-2302
pISSN - 0012-1630
DOI - 10.1002/dev.21176
Subject(s) - saccharin , morphine , taste , taste aversion , psychology , avoidance response , endocrinology , medicine , developmental psychology , neuroscience
The present report asked if the previously reported differences in morphine‐induced conditioned taste avoidance between adult F344 and LEW rats (F344 > LEW) are also evident in prepubescence (early adolescence). To assess this possibility, adult (Experiment 1) and prepubertal (Experiment 2) F344 and LEW rats were assessed for their ability to acquire morphine‐induced taste avoidance (0, 3.2, 10, or 18 mg/kg) in a modified taste avoidance procedure. In each experiment, rats of both strains were given repeated pairings of saccharin and morphine followed by a final two‐bottle avoidance test. Adult and prepubertal F344 subjects displayed a more rapid acquisition of the avoidance response as well as stronger suppression of consumption than their LEW counterparts. These data suggest the strains differ in their sensitivity to the aversive effects of morphine and that this differential sensitivity is evident early in development and is developmentally stable. The basis for these strain differences in morphine‐induced avoidance was discussed. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 56: 979–988, 2014.