Cocaine self-administration in Warsaw alcohol high-preferring (WHP) and Warsaw alcohol low-preferring (WLP) rats

Abstract

Individuals prone to drug self-administration may be vulnerable not only to a single drug reinforcer but to a variety of drug reinforcers. It has been shown that two thirds of alcoholics regularly use drugs other than ethanol (alcohol). Up to 30% of alcohol-dependent patients report concurrent misuse of cocaine. The aim of the present study was to investigate intravenous cocaine self-administration in selectively bred, alcohol-preferring WHP (Warsaw high-preferring) and non-preferring WLP (Warsaw low-preferring) rats. It was hypothesized that WHPs could be more prone to cocaine self-administration in comparison to WLPs. Rats from both lines were allowed to nose-poke for cocaine infusions (0.33mg/kg/infusion) under the FR-1, FR-2, and FR-3 schedule of reinforcement. Dose–response curves were assessed with increasing doses of cocaine (0.03, 0.1, 0.33, 1.0mg/kg/infusion). The WHP and WLP rats did not differ in cocaine self-administration. Both groups quickly acquired nose-poke responding for cocaine, presented a similar response profile when the schedule of reinforcement was increased from FR-1 to FR-3, and similar sensitivity to cocaine in the dose–response test. The present results may indicate that the selective breeding of alcohol-preferring WHP and alcohol non-preferring WLP rats did not lead to differences in cocaine's rewarding effects as assessed in the self-administration procedure.