Individual Differences in Novelty Seeking on the Playground Maze Predict Amphetamine Conditioned Place Preference

Abstract

Previous research has shown that a rat’s level of activity in a novel environment can predict the strength of amphetamine-induced locomotor behavior and self-administration, but not amphetamine-conditioned place preference. The increase in activity observed when a rat is exposed to an inescapable novel environment may reflect escape behavior due to stress. To assess approach to novelty in a free-choice test, we examined the ability of a new test, the playground maze, to predict individual differences in response to amphetamine (1 or 3 mg/kg). Using the playground maze to categorize rats as either high or low novelty seekers, it was found that individual differences in novelty seeking did not predict amphetamine-induced changes in locomotor activity following either a single or repeated injections. However, high novelty seekers showed greater amphetamine-conditioned place preference than low novelty seekers. These results provide support for the hypothesis that novelty seeking and drug reward are neuropharmacologically related.