Faculty Collaboration Database

Chronic D1 agonist and ethanol coadministration facilitate ethanol-mediated behaviors. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2003 Sep;76(2):335-42

Date

11/01/2003

Pubmed ID

14592686

DOI

10.1016/j.pbb.2003.08.004

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0142226995 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   21 Citations

Abstract

Separate lines of evidence suggest that neuroadaptations associated with ethanol (EtOH) reinforcement can be initiated by chronic EtOH preexposure and a signaling pathway activated by dopamine (DA) D1 receptor stimulation. We have previously shown that rewarding and locomotor effects of EtOH alone [Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 72 (2002) 787] are enhanced after chronic exposure to self-administered EtOH/cocaine combinations. To determine the importance of chronic EtOH exposure, dopamine D1 receptor activation and mode of drug administration in EtOH reward, animals were given daily intravenous infusions of experimenter-administered saline, EtOH (2.0 g/kg), the DA D1 receptor agonist, SKF81297 (0.2 mg/kg), or EtOH+SKF81297 over a 4-week period. Compared to other groups, animals preexposed to EtOH+SKF81297 self-administered significantly greater amounts of intravenous EtOH and showed greater enhancement and less suppression of locomotor activity in response to a range of intravenous EtOH dosages (0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 g/kg). Since chronic treatment with EtOH alone did not enhance EtOH-induced reinforcement or locomotor activity, it is unlikely that these effects were due to EtOH tolerance. These findings suggest that chronic D1 receptor activation combined with EtOH administration alters neural responsiveness to EtOH and support the notion that D1 activation is important to EtOH reward.

Author List

D'Souza MS, Ikegami A, Olsen CM, Duvauchelle CL

Author

Christopher M. Olsen PhD Professor in the Pharmacology and Toxicology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Behavior, Animal
Benzazepines
Central Nervous System Depressants
Conditioning, Operant
Dopamine Agonists
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Drug Synergism
Ethanol
Food
Motor Activity
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Receptors, Dopamine D1
Self Administration