DRUG REINFORCEMENT PROCESSES: NEUROHUMORS AND BRAIN LOCI

神经元环路的鉴定和表征 负责底层加固的内部事件 将有益于药物或治疗的开发 治疗患有慢性支气管炎的患者的方法 这些过程的故障(抑郁、躁狂、物质 虐待)。这个应用程序提出了识别大脑的实验 启动和调节的基因座和神经元受体 强化和调理过程。大鼠将被植入 通过脑内注射导管进入脑部区域 允许自我给药神经幽默或神经幽默受体 使用电解微量输液系统的激动剂。对.的使用 两级甄别程序和间歇性时间表 加固效果将用来评价加固效果 神经体液和药物阻断与神经毒素 自我管理地点的损伤将允许识别 以及负责这些变化的受体的特征 效果。自旋律的潜在变速性质 使用的神经幽默将通过以下方式进行评估 对动物进行颅内输液，使其在 食品强化的反应时间安排。A条件反射 将使用抑制程序来确定颅内是否 输液可以使条件性刺激特性发展到更多 快速识别潜在的神经体液和自我管理 网站。显示这种活动的大脑部位和神经体液将 然后接受颅内自我给药测试。曾经的大脑 启动增强神经元活动的部位和神经幽默是 鉴定和表征，然后神经解剖学和 神经化学程序将被用来研究神经元 调节这些强化作用的途径和回路。 这些颅内自主给药实验应该更多 具体识别负责的脑神经系统 以求增援。

Identification and characterization of the neuronal circuits responsible for the internal events the underlie reinforcement would be beneficial for development of drugs or therapeutic approaches to the treatment of individuals suffering from malfunctions of these processes (depression, mania, substance abuse). This application proposes experiments to identify brain loci and neuronal receptors that initiate and mediate reinforcement and conditioning processes. Rats will be implanted with intracranial injection guide cannulae into a brain region and allowed to self-administer a neurohumor or neurohumor receptor agonist using an electrolytic microinfusion systems. The use of two-lever discrimination procedures and intermittent schedules of reinforcement will be used to evaluate the reinforcing effects of the neurohumor and pharmacological blockade and neurotoxin lesions of the self-administration site will permit identification and characterization of the receptors responsible for these effects. The potential rate-altering properties of the self- administered neurohumor will be evaluated by presenting intracranial infusions to animals responding under an interresponse time schedule of food reinforcement. A conditioned suppression procedure will be used to determine if intracranial infusions can develop conditioned stimulus properties to more rapidly identify potential neurohumors and self-administration sites. Brain sites and neurohumors that display such activity will then be tested for intracranial self-administration. Once a brain site and neurohumor that initiates reinforcing neuronal activity is identified and characterized then neuroanatomical and neurochemical procedures will be used to investigate the neuronal pathways and circuits that mediate these reinforcing effects. These intracranial self-administration experiments should more specifically identify brain neuronal systems that are responsible for reinforcement.