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Pramipexole enhances acquisition of responding with a remifentanil‐associated conditioned reinforcer
Author(s) -
Bertz Jeremiah William,
Woods James Henry
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.lb531
Subject(s) - pramipexole , agonist , remifentanil , pharmacology , reinforcement , psychology , antagonist , dopamine , stimulus (psychology) , dopamine receptor d2 , medicine , anesthesia , neuroscience , receptor , social psychology , disease , parkinson's disease , propofol , psychotherapist
Dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) preferring agonists and antagonists can alter rats’ drug self‐administration behaviors; however, the effects of D3R‐preferring ligands on the conditioned reinforcing effects of drug‐paired stimuli, specifically, have not been extensively evaluated. Therefore, the present experiments assessed the effects of the D3R‐preferring agonist, pramipexole (PRAM), on rats’ acquisition of a new response with a remifentanil‐paired conditioned reinforcer. First, rats received response‐independent IV injections of remifentanil and presentations of a light‐noise stimulus. In “paired” groups, injections and stimuli co‐occurred. In “random” control groups, injections and stimuli occurred independently. Then, in instrumental acquisition (ACQ) test sessions, all rats could respond in an active nose‐poke that produced the stimulus alone or in an inactive nose‐poke with no scheduled consequences. PRAM (0.0–1.0 mg/kg, SC) was given before ACQ sessions. In “paired” groups, but not “random” groups, rats acquired active nose‐poke responding, and PRAM selectively increased active responding. The effects of PRAM were attenuated by the D2 receptor (D2R) preferring antagonist, L‐741,626, but not by the D3R‐preferring antagonist, SB277011A. D2R activity may, thus, be particularly important for conditioned reinforcement. Supported by NIDA grants DA 020669, DA 024897, and DA 032943.