Abstract

Pharmacological and genetic studies suggest that the delta opioid receptor (DOR) system modifies addiction‐related behaviors and neurocircuitry. Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of DOR ligands on the primary and conditioned reinforcing effects of cocaine in rats. DOR agonists and antagonists were administered s.c. immediately before cocaine or food self‐administration sessions or before cue reactivity sessions. The delta opioid agonist SNC80 failed to maintain responding in naïve rats. In rats with a history of cocaine self‐administration, non‐contingent SNC80 administration failed to alter responding for cocaine injections but enhanced responding maintained by stimuli previously associated with cocaine. The delta opioid antagonist naltrindole decreased responding for cocaine‐paired stimuli in the absence of cocaine. Overall, these data suggest that the DOR system may modulate the reinforcing effectiveness of conditioned stimuli associated with drugs of abuse. These studies were supported by the Small Grants Program from the University of Michigan Substance Abuse Research Center.

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