Previous research has indicated that increased activity of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis enhances the propensity to self-administer drugs of abuse. We have shown that rats with a greater propensity to self-administer drugs of abuse also avoid intake of a natural gustatory reward after it is repeatedly paired with the opportunity to self-administer the drug reward. Under our reward comparison hypothesis, this avoidance behavior is caused by devaluation of the natural reward in anticipation of the availability of the more rewarding drug of abuse. Thus, we hypothesize that individual differences in activity of the HPA axis mediated individual differences in reward comparison behavior. The proposed studies will test this hypothesis by further investigating these differences in reward comparison behavior. The proposed studies will test this hypothesis by further investigating these differences using a behavioral and physiological approach (Specific Aim I) and by employing pharmacological manipulations to assess the role of corticosterone and corticotropin releasing factor in mediating these individual differences (Specific Aim II).

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
5F31DA015261-02
Application #
6626193
Study Section
Human Development Research Subcommittee (NIDA)
Program Officer
Sharp, Charles
Project Start
2002-03-04
Project End
Budget Start
2003-03-04
Budget End
2004-03-03
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$25,183
Indirect Cost
Name
Pennsylvania State University
Department
Neurosciences
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
129348186
City
Hershey
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
17033
Jenney, Christopher B; Dasalla, Jinju; Grigson, Patricia S (2018) Female rats exhibit less avoidance than male rats of a cocaine-, but not a morphine-paired, saccharin cue. Brain Res Bull 138:80-87
Schroy, Pearl Lee; Wheeler, Robert A; Davidson, Collin et al. (2005) Role of gustatory thalamus in anticipation and comparison of rewards over time in rats. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 288:R966-80