Nicholas Thabit
Pronouns: he, him
Research Mentor(s): Emily Jutkiewicz
Co-Presenter:
Research Mentor School/College/Department: Pharmacology / Medicine
Presentation Date: April 20
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: Session 3 – 1:40pm – 2:30 pm
Room: League Ballroom
Authors: Nick Thabit, Stephen H. Robertson, Emily M. Jutkiewicz
Presenter: 21
Abstract
Introduction: Drug-associated stimuli take on rewarding properties that can perpetuate drug use or lead to relapse. Activating delta opioid receptors (DOR) augments responding for a drug-associated cue. In the current study, we assessed the extent to which blocking DORs via naltrindole (DOR antagonist) decreases the rewarding properties of a drug-associated cue. Aim and Hypothesis: The aim of this study is to evaluate the ability of naltrindole to modify the rewarding properties of a drug-associated cue. We hypothesize that naltrindole will attenuate rewarding properties of the drug-associated stimulus. Methods: We used the New Response Acquisition procedure. In the first phase (Pavlovian Conditioning), animals are exposed to 20 stimulus presentations and 20 infusions of 3.2 ug/kg/inf remifentanil (mu opioid receptor agonist) each day for 5 days. Prior to each Pavlovian Conditioning session, animals received a s.c. injection of naltrindole (0 or 3.2 mg/kg). Animals assigned to Paired Pavlovian conditioning received the stimulus presentation and drug delivery simultaneously. Animals assigned to the Random control group received the same number of stimulus presentations and drug deliveries but they were not delivered together. In the second phase (Acquisition) we assessed the extent to which animals would respond for only presentations of the drug-associated stimulus. The session started 30 minutes after the injection. Results: Animals exposed to Paired Pavlovian conditioning tended to emit more active responses than controls (p<0.001, np2=0.485). Animals that received a pre-session injection of naltrindole tended to show lower levels of responding, which was supported by a response type naltrindole interaction (p=0.042, np2=0.140) Discussion: We found that naltrindole treatment reduced the number of active responses emitted by animals that underwent Paired Pavlovian conditioning, suggesting that blocking DOR interfered with the ability of a stimulus to take on rewarding properties. Presentation link
Biomedical Sciences, Interdisciplinary, Natural/Life Sciences
