Volume 148, Number 1, 52-58, DOI: 10.1007/s002130050024

Self-administration of intravenous amphetamine is predicted by individual differences in sucrose feeding in rats

N. J. DeSousa, D. E. A. Bush and F. J. Vaccarino

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Abstract

Rationale: Previous studies have shown that individual differences in oral sucrose consumption are predictive of the psychomotor and dopamine (DA) stimulant properties of amphetamine in rats. Objectives: The present experiment was designed to examine the relationship between sucrose feeding and the reinforcing properties of amphetamine using the intravenous (i.v.) drug self-administration paradigm. Methods: Based on a median split of sucrose intake during a final 1-h feeding test session, male Wistar rats were designated as either low (LSF) or high sucrose feeders (HSF). Acquisition of i.v.-amphetamine self-administration across ten daily 30-min sessions was then assessed. Following acquisition, i.v. self-administration of several doses of amphetamine was similarly tested across daily 30-min sessions. Results: Data from this experiment revealed augmented responding in HSF compared with LSF during acquisition of amphetamine self-administration. Correspondingly, when given access to different doses of amphetamine, responding was greater in HSF than in LSF across several doses (3 µg and 10 µg per infusion). Conclusions: These data support the notion that individual differences in oral sucrose consumption are predictive of the reinforcing properties of psychostimulant drugs.

Key words Individual difference - Sucrose - Amphetamine - Self-administration - Reinforcement - Feeding

Received: 30 March 1999 / Final version: 10 August 1999

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