Effect of 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl) pyridine on intravenous self-administration of ketamine and heroin in the rat

Abstract

The mGluR5 antagonist 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl) pyridine (MPEP) may be beneficial for drug abuse treatment, as it has been found to reduce self-administration of ethanol, nicotine and cocaine in preclinical models. This study investigated whether this finding can be extended to dissociative anaesthetics and opioids. Long Evans rats were trained to intravenously self-administer ketamine (0.5 mg/kg/infusion, 2 h sessions, fixed ratio 3) or heroin (0.05 mg/kg/infusion, 1 h sessions, fixed ratio 10). After reaching stable responding, the effect of MPEP pretreatment (1.25-20 mg/kg, intraperitoneal; t=-30 min) on intravenous self-administration (IVSA) of each compound was investigated. Behavioural specificity of MPEP on IVSA was assessed using a food-reinforcement procedure. IVSA of ketamine was dose-dependently reduced by MPEP pretreatment, with a minimal effective dose of 5 mg/kg and a 75% reduction at the highest dose tested. IVSA of heroin was only modestly reduced by the highest dose of MPEP (20% reduction). Food-reinforced behaviour was not altered by MPEP, either given alone or in combination with ketamine or heroin, indicating that the effect in the IVSA paradigm was behaviourally specific. It is suggested that the differential effect of MPEP on IVSA of ketamine and heroin is related to the particular class of the self-administered drug or its relative reinforcing efficacy.