MECHANISMS OF ENVIROMENTAL INFLUENCES ON COCAINE REWARD

可卡因和其他毒品的使用和滥用有所增加， 近年 这种用途与这类 药物产生积极的增强作用，即。欣快症 这些 特性在受试者之间表现出显著的可变性。 即不 所有的人都觉得药物有益。 其原因 不均匀性还没有得到很好理解，但有人认为， 一些先决条件的存在，导致一些 个人比其他人更敏感。 的识别 这些先决条件似乎是必要的，如果我们要 制定有效的预防计划。 环境条件可以显着影响倾向 让老鼠自己服用可卡因而不是安非他明。 因此 有人认为，环境条件影响 特定神经化学系统的发展， 确定对特定类别滥用药物的反应。 的 目前的建议是从这些初步调查结果延伸而来的。 它将 试图建立环境保护的手段， 条件可以影响成年大鼠对 加强可卡因的特性。 第一节将 研究获得的神经化学基础， 通过使用可卡因维持自我给药 静脉自我给药模式。 第二部分 将更具体地讨论中央和地方政府之间的相互作用， 多巴胺能底物和环境条件 使老鼠对可卡因的增强作用产生易感性。 第三 第一节将检验环境决定的概念 对可卡因敏感性的变化可以通过 另一种形式的环境操纵。 的结果 这些研究可能指出病因学和治疗方向 因为滥用可卡因

The use and abuse of cocaine and other drugs has increased in recent years. The use has been tied to the ability of this class of drugs to produce positively reinforcing effect ie. euphoria. These properties exhibit marked across subject variability. That is, not all individuals find the drug rewarding. The reasons for this heterogeneity are not well understood but it has been suggested that some antecedent conditions exists that cause some individuals to be more sensitive than others. The identification of these antecedent conditions seems imperative if we are to institute effective programs aimed at prevention. Environmental conditions can markedly influence the propensity of rats to self-administer cocaine but not amphetamine. Thus, it was suggested that environmental conditions influence the development of specific neurochemical systems which then determine the response to specific classes of abused drugs. The present proposal extends from these initial findings. It will attempt to establish the means by which the enviromental conditions can effect the sensitivity of adult rats to the reinforcing properties of cocaine. The first section will investigate the neurochemical bases for the acquisition and maintenance of cocaine self-administration through the usage of the intravenous self-administration paradigm. The second section will address more specifically the interaction between central dopaminergic substrates and environmental conditions that predispose rats to the reinforcing properties of cocaine. The third section will test the notion that environmentally determined changes in sensitivity to cocaine can be reversed through an alternate form of environmental manipulation. The results of these studies may point to etiological and therapeutic directions for cocaine abuse.