Application of Conditioning to the Study of Drug Addiction

Self-Administration of drugs of abuse uses Instrumental conditioning procedures

R SR

e.g. Lever press response drug delivery

Conditioned Place Preference with drugs of abuse uses Pavlovian conditioning procedures

CS * UCS R CS R

e.g. Light Stimulus*Drug approach response

Light Stimulus approach response

Pre-conditioningPreference Tests

Days 1 and 2

ConditioningSessionsDays 3-10

Post-conditioningPreference TestsDays 11 and 14

Conditioned Place Preference

Drug-injected

Not Drug-injected

stay

don’t

stay

                       

       

Intravenous Cocaine Self-Administration

d-Amphetamine

Cocaine Chlordiazepoxide

Codeine

Diazepam

Ethanol

Fentanyl

Heroin

KetamineMethadoneMethamphetamine

Methylphenidate

Morphine

Nicotine

Pentobarbital

Phencyclidine (PCP)

9 THC

Some drugs that are self-administered by laboratory animals

Stimulants Narcotics Anxiolytics Other

Cocaine + Cocaine Cues

No Cocaine and No Cues

Cocaine Cues Alone

Self-Administration Model of Relapse incorporates both Instrumental and Pavlovian Conditioning

                       

       

Cue-Induced Relapse to Cocaine-Seeking Behavior

Nature Video Cocaine Video

Front of Brain

Back of Brain

Amygdalanot lit up

Amygdalaactivated

Childress et al 1999Cocaine Cue-Induce Craving

Grant et al 1996Cocaine Cue-Induce Craving

In the laboratory......

• Study the brain sites that mediate conditioned relapse-like behavior

• Determine the molecules that give rise to conditioned relapse-like behavior (e.g., genes; proteins)

• Test medications that may reduce conditioned relapse-like behavior

• Study the consequences of conditioned drug use (e.g., neurocognitive; brain plasticity changes)