This project aims to create new instrumentation to study potential therapeutic medications for substance abuse. Information on activity patterns of neurons in brain reward circuits is ultimately needed for the assessment of the mode of action of drugs designed to block the craving and negative brain affect and mood characteristics of the addiction process. A goal will be to produce an advanced software module for the Windows NT operating system capable of controlling multiple behavioral chambers for testing potential medications for substance abuse. A further aim will be to create a rational database for organizing the control of experiments and accumulating all relevant experimental data. A Website interface with JAVA language applications will enable access to data in real time at remote sites. Recently developed instrumentation will be enhanced and redesigned to allow automated sorting and time stamping of waveforms from large populations of neurons in the mesolimbic """"""""brain reward system"""""""" during drug self administration behavior. These new components will be fully integrated and tested. Technology developed will be generalized to applications throughout basic and clinical neurophysiology.
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