Previous research has indicated that selected strains can be used as a tool for the study of the neural mechanisms responsible for reward comparison processes. In particular, Lewis rats have a greater avidity for drugs of abuse which serves to override responsiveness for natural rewards, while the drug non-preferring Fischer rats ramain impervious to these reward comparison processes. Thus, we hypothesize that the differences in the molecular characteristics between Lewis and Fischer rats mediate the difference in responding for a saccharin CS following taste-drug pairings. The proposed studies will test this hypothesis by employing behavioral, lesion, and molecular techniques to examine the generality of the phenomenon (Specific Aim I), the nature of the difference in responding between the Lewis and Fischer rats (Specific Aim II), and the role of specific neural substrates in mediating this difference (Specific Aim III).

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
5F31DA005932-02
Application #
6258528
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZDA1-MXS-M (12))
Program Officer
Sharp, Charles
Project Start
2000-03-10
Project End
Budget Start
2000-03-10
Budget End
2001-02-28
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2000
Total Cost
$20,443
Indirect Cost
Name
Pennsylvania State University
Department
Neurosciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
129348186
City
Hershey
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
17033
Freet, Christopher S; Wheeler, Robert A; Leuenberger, Ellen et al. (2013) Fischer rats are more sensitive than Lewis rats to the suppressive effects of morphine and the aversive kappa-opioid agonist spiradoline. Behav Neurosci 127:763-70