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Cannabinoid receptor blockade reduces the opportunity cost at which rats maintain operant performance for rewarding brain stimulation

Title:

Cannabinoid receptor blockade reduces the opportunity cost at which rats maintain operant performance for rewarding brain stimulation

Trujillo-Pisanty, Ivan, Hernandez, Giovanni, Moreau-Debord, Ian, Cossette, Marie-Pierre, Conover, Kent, Cheer, Joseph F. and Shizgal, Peter (2011) Cannabinoid receptor blockade reduces the opportunity cost at which rats maintain operant performance for rewarding brain stimulation. Journal of Neuroscience, 31 (14). pp. 5426-5435. ISSN 0270-6474

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Official URL: http://www.jneurosci.org/content/31/14/5426.full

Abstract

There is ample evidence that blockade of CB1 receptors reduces reward seeking. However, the reported effects of CB1 blockade on performance for rewarding electrical brain stimulation stand out as an exception. By applying a novel method for conceptualizing and measuring reward seeking, we show that AM-251, a CB1 receptor antagonist, does indeed decrease performance for rewarding electrical stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle in rats. Reward-seeking depends on multiple sets of variables, including the intensity of the reward, its cost, and the value of competing rewards. In turn, reward intensity depends both on the sensitivity and gain of brain reward circuitry. We show that drug-induced changes in sensitivity cannot account for the suppressive effect of AM-251 on reward seeking. Therefore, the role of CB1 receptors must be sought among the remaining determinants of performance. Our analysis provides an explanation of the inconsistencies between prior reports, which likely arose from: a) the averaging of data across subjects showing heterogeneous effects and b) the use of methods that cannot distinguish between the different determinants of reward pursuit. By means of microdialysis, we demonstrate that blockade of CB1 receptors attenuates nucleus accumbens dopamine release in response to rewarding medial forebrain bundle stimulation, and we propose that this action is responsible for the ability of the drug to decrease performance for the electrical reward.

Divisions:Concordia University > Faculty of Arts and Science > Psychology
Concordia University > Research Units > Centre for Studies in Behavioural Neurobiology
Item Type:Article
Refereed:Yes
Authors:Trujillo-Pisanty, Ivan and Hernandez, Giovanni and Moreau-Debord, Ian and Cossette, Marie-Pierre and Conover, Kent and Cheer, Joseph F. and Shizgal, Peter
Journal or Publication:Journal of Neuroscience
Date:6 April 2011
ID Code:7084
Deposited By: ANDREA MURRAY
Deposited On:15 Feb 2011 18:51
Last Modified:18 Jan 2018 17:30
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