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Smith MA, Johansen AN, Cha HSH, Morris MH, Yao Z, Biancorosso SL, Camp JD, Hailu SH. Treatment with dextroamphetamine decreases the reacquisition of cocaine self-administration: Consistency across social contexts. Drug Alcohol Depend 2024; 260:111328. [PMID: 38776581 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.111328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE A return to cocaine use following abstinence frequently occurs in a social context, and the presence of other individuals using cocaine may contribute to the likelihood of use. Previous studies have reported that chronic d-amphetamine treatment decreases cocaine self-administration in laboratory animals and reduces a return to cocaine use following abstinence in humans. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of chronic d-amphetamine treatment on the reacquisition of cocaine use in rats self-administering cocaine in different social contexts. METHODS Male and female rats were implanted with intravenous catheters and trained to self-administer cocaine during daily 6-hr sessions. After 14 days, cocaine self-administration was extinguished by substituting saline for the cocaine stimulus. At this time, rats were randomized to receive chronic treatment with either d-amphetamine or saline. After 9 days of extinction, cocaine was again made available during daily 6-hr sessions. At this time, rats were further randomized into three social conditions: (1) rats continued self-administering cocaine in isolation, (2) rats self-administered cocaine in the presence of a same-sex partner that also self-administered cocaine, or (3) rats self-administered cocaine in the presence of a same-sex partner that did not have access to cocaine. Daily treatment with d-amphetamine or saline continued for the duration of reacquisition testing. RESULTS Chronic treatment with d-amphetamine decreased cocaine intake during reacquisition, but these effects were not influenced by the social context. No sex differences were observed. CONCLUSION These data support previous studies reporting that d-amphetamine decreases cocaine intake and demonstrate its efficacy across social contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Smith
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA.
| | - Alexandra N Johansen
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
| | - Hannah S H Cha
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
| | - Mackenzie H Morris
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
| | - Zizhan Yao
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
| | - Samantha L Biancorosso
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
| | - Jacob D Camp
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
| | - Salome H Hailu
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
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Smith MA, Camp JD, Johansen AN, Strickland JC. Response-contingent cocaine increases the reinforcing effectiveness of social contact. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2024; 32:255-262. [PMID: 37707472 PMCID: PMC10937325 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Epidemiological studies report a high concordance rate of drug use within groups, suggesting an interplay between drug reinforcement and social cohesion. Preclinical studies reveal that (a) contingent access to a social partner increases cocaine intake and (b) experimenter-delivered cocaine increases the reinforcing effects of social contact. The purpose of this study was to determine if response-contingent cocaine increases the reinforcing effectiveness of social contact. Male rats were implanted with intravenous catheters and trained on a fixed ratio (FR1) schedule for 30-s access to a social partner. The reinforcing effectiveness of social contact was then determined using a progressive ratio (PR) schedule. After the PR test, rats were divided into two groups in which each response on an FR1 schedule produced social access and either response-contingent cocaine (0.5 mg/kg/infusion) or saline. After 9 days, the reinforcing effectiveness of social contact in the absence of infusions was determined again on the PR schedule. The cocaine and saline reinforcers were then switched between groups and the latter procedures were repeated. Recent exposure to response-contingent cocaine increased the reinforcing effectiveness of social contact on the PR schedule. This effect was transient, and the reinforcing effectiveness of social contact returned to baseline levels once response-contingent cocaine was replaced with saline. These data indicate that recent exposure to response-contingent cocaine transiently increases the reinforcing effectiveness of social contact and suggest that cocaine use may strengthen social cohesion by increasing the reinforcing effects of social contact with other individuals. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Smith
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College
| | - Jacob D Camp
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College
| | | | - Justin C Strickland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
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Peretz-Rivlin N, Marsh-Yvgi I, Fatal Y, Terem A, Turm H, Shaham Y, Citri A. An automated group-housed oral fentanyl self-administration method in mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00213-024-06528-6. [PMID: 38246893 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06528-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES Social factors play a critical role in human drug addiction, and humans often consume drugs together with their peers. In contrast, in traditional animal models of addiction, rodents consume or self-administer the drug in their homecage or operant self-administration chambers while isolated from their peers. Here, we describe HOMECAGE ("Home-cage Observation and Measurement for Experimental Control and Analysis in a Group-housed Environment"), a translationally relevant method for studying oral opioid self-administration in mice. This setting reduces experimental confounds introduced by social isolation or interaction with the experimenter. METHODS We have developed HOMECAGE, a method in which mice are group-housed and individually monitored for their consumption of a drug vs. a reference liquid. RESULTS Mice in HOMECAGE preserve naturalistic aspects of behavior, including social interactions and circadian activity. The mice showed a preference for fentanyl and escalated their fentanyl intake over time. Mice preferred to consume fentanyl in bouts during the dark cycle. Mice entrained to the reinforcement schedule of the task, optimizing their pokes to obtain fentanyl rewards, and maintained responding for fentanyl under a progressive ratio schedule. HOMECAGE also enabled the detection of cage-specific and individual-specific behavior patterns and allowed the identification of differences in fentanyl consumption between co-housed control and experimental mice. CONCLUSIONS HOMECAGE serves as a valuable procedure for translationally relevant studies on oral opioid intake under conditions that more closely mimic the human condition. The method enables naturalistic investigation of factors contributing to opioid addiction-related behaviors and can be used to identify novel treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noa Peretz-Rivlin
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Idit Marsh-Yvgi
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
- Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yonatan Fatal
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Anna Terem
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
- Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Hagit Turm
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
- Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Yavin Shaham
- Behavioral Neuroscience Branch, IRP/NIDA/NIH, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ami Citri
- Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel.
- Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel.
- Program in Child and Brain Development, MaRS Centre, West Tower, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, 661 University Ave, Suite 505, Toronto, ON, M5G 1M1, Canada.
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Strickland JC, Acuff SF. Role of social context in addiction etiology and recovery. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2023; 229:173603. [PMID: 37487953 PMCID: PMC10528354 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2023.173603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
While social context has long been considered central to substance use disorder prevention and treatment and many drug-taking events occur in social settings, experimental research on social context has historically been limited. Recent years have seen an emergence of concerted preclinical and human laboratory research documenting the direct impact of social context on substance use, delineating behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms underlying social influence's role. We review this emerging preclinical and human laboratory literature from a theoretical lens that considers distinct stages of the addiction process including drug initiation/acquisition, escalation, and recovery. A key conclusion of existing research is that the impact of the social environment is critically moderated by the drug-taking behavior and drug use history of a social peer. Specifically, while drug-free social contexts can reduce the likelihood of drug use initiation and act as a competitive non-drug alternative preventing escalation, drug-using peers can equally facilitate initiation and escalation through peer modeling as a contingent reward of use. Likewise, social context may facilitate recovery or serve as a barrier that increases the chances of a return to regular use. We conclude by discussing evidence-based treatments and recovery support services that explicitly target social mechanisms or that have identified social context as a mechanism of change within treatment. Ultimately, new areas for research including the expansion of drug classes studied and novel human laboratory designs are needed to further translate emerging findings into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin C Strickland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| | - Samuel F Acuff
- Department of Psychology, The University of Memphis, 202 Psychology Building, Memphis, TN 38152, USA; Recovery Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, 152 Merrimac St, Boston MA, 02135 USA
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Smith MA, Cha HSH, Sharp JL, Strickland JC. Demand and cross-price elasticity of cocaine and social contact in a free-operant procedure of nonexclusive choice. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2023; 222:173511. [PMID: 36572113 PMCID: PMC9845135 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Research examining the social determinants of addiction has advanced significantly with the recent development of preclinical models of drug use and the social environment. These models reveal that drug use and social contact compete with one another for behavioral expression in discrete-trial choice procedures using concurrent schedules of reinforcement. The purpose of this study was to determine how concurrent access to cocaine and a social partner influences the demand for each alternative under free-operant conditions in which responding maintained by each reinforcer is independent and nonexclusive of the other. To this end, male rats were trained under a free-operant, concurrent schedule of reinforcement in which responding maintained by cocaine and access to a social partner operated independently of one another. Measures of economic demand (e.g., intensity, Omax, cross-price elasticity) were determined by manipulating the response requirement (i.e., fixed ratio value) across sessions. Tests were conducted in which the social partner was either treated or not treated with cocaine to determine whether the intoxication state of the partner influenced demand. The principal findings of this study are (1) demand for a cocaine-treated partner is greater than demand for a cocaine-free partner, (2) demand for cocaine is greater in the presence of a cocaine-treated partner than a cocaine-free partner, and (3) concurrent access to cocaine decreases demand for social contact. Notably, measures of cross-price elasticity indicated that social contact is a robust economic substitute for cocaine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Smith
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA.
| | - Hannah S H Cha
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
| | - Jessica L Sharp
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA
| | - Justin C Strickland
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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The Protective Effect of Social Reward on Opioid and Psychostimulant Reward and Relapse: Behavior, Pharmacology, and Brain Regions. J Neurosci 2022; 42:9298-9314. [PMID: 36517252 PMCID: PMC9794371 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0931-22.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Until recently, most modern neuroscience research on addiction using animal models did not incorporate manipulations of social factors. Social factors play a critical role in human addiction: social isolation and exclusion can promote drug use and relapse, while social connections and inclusion tend to be protective. Here, we discuss the state of the literature on social factors in animal models of opioid and psychostimulant preference, self-administration, and relapse. We first summarize results from rodent studies on behavioral, pharmacological, and circuit mechanisms of the protective effect of traditional experimenter-controlled social interaction procedures on opioid and psychostimulant conditioned place preference, self-administration, and relapse. Next, we summarize behavioral and brain-mechanism results from studies using newer operant social-interaction procedures that inhibit opioid and psychostimulant self-administration and relapse. We conclude by discussing how the reviewed studies point to future directions for the addiction field and other neuroscience and psychiatric fields, and their implications for mechanistic understanding of addiction and development of new treatments.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In this review, we propose that incorporating social factors into modern neuroscience research on addiction could improve mechanistic accounts of addiction and help close gaps in translating discovery to treatment. We first summarize rodent studies on behavioral, pharmacological, and circuit mechanisms of the protective effect of both traditional experimenter-controlled and newer operant social-interaction procedures. We then discuss potential future directions and clinical implications.
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Peer presence and familiarity as key factors to reduce cocaine intake in both rats and humans: an effect mediated by the subthalamic nucleus. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:1097-1113. [PMID: 35013763 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-06033-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Stimulant use, including cocaine, often occurs in a social context whose influence is important to understand to decrease intake and reduce associated harms. Although the importance of social influence in the context of drug addiction is known, there is a need for studies assessing its neurobiological substrate and for translational research. OBJECTIVES Here, we explored the influence of peer presence and familiarity on cocaine intake and its neurobiological basis. Given the regulatory role of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) on cocaine intake and emotions, we investigated its role on such influence of social context on cocaine intake. METHODS We first compared cocaine consumption in various conditions (with no peer present or with peers with different characteristics: abstinent peer or drug-taking peer, familiar or not, cocaine-naive or not, dominant or subordinate) in rats (n = 90). Then, with a translational approach, we assessed the influence of the social context (alone, in the group, in a dyad with familiar or non-familiar peers) on drug intake in human drug users (n = 77). RESULTS The drug consumption was reduced when a peer was present, abstinent, or drug-taking as well, and further diminished when the peer was non-familiar. The presence of a non-familiar and drug-naive peer represents key conditions to diminish cocaine intake. The STN lesion by itself reduced cocaine intake to the level reached in presence of a non-familiar naive peer and affected social cognition, positioning the STN as one neurobiological substrate of social influence on drug intake. Then, the human study confirmed the beneficial effect of social presence, especially of non-familiar peers. CONCLUSION Our results indirectly support the use of social interventions and harm reduction strategies and position the STN as a key cerebral structure to mediate these effects.
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8
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Smith MA, Cha HS, Griffith AK, Sharp JL. Social Contact Reinforces Cocaine Self-Administration in Young Adult Male Rats: The Role of Social Reinforcement in Vulnerability to Drug Use. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:771114. [PMID: 34776897 PMCID: PMC8588844 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.771114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug-using peers are recognized as a leading factor influencing drug use among adolescents and young adults. One mechanism by which peers influence drug use is by providing social reinforcement for using drugs. Social reinforcement may be provided in multiple ways, including by making social contact contingent on drug use (i.e., an individual must use drugs to gain/maintain access to a peer). The purpose of this study was to develop a preclinical model in which intravenous cocaine self-administration was positively reinforced by access to a social partner. Young adult male rats were trained to self-administer cocaine in operant conditioning chambers with a guillotine door that could be opened to an adjacent compartment housing either a social partner or a non-social stimulus. Once cocaine self-administration was established, the guillotine door was activated, and cocaine intake was reinforced by brief access to either a social (age- and sex-matched peer) or non-social (black-and-white athletic sock) stimulus. Contingent access to a social partner rapidly increased cocaine self-administration. Total cocaine intake was 2- to 3-fold greater in rats assigned to the social versus non-social condition across a 100-fold dose range. Cocaine intake rapidly increased when rats in the original non-social group were later provided with social partners, whereas cocaine intake resisted change and remained elevated when rats in the original social group had their partners removed. These data indicate that contingent access to a social partner increases drug intake and suggest that social reinforcement may represent a vulnerability factor that is particularly resistant to psychosocial interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Smith
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, United States
| | - Hannah S Cha
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, United States
| | - Annie K Griffith
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, United States
| | - Jessica L Sharp
- Department of Psychology and Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, United States
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9
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Meng S, Yan W, Liu X, Gong Y, Tian S, Wu P, Sun Y, Shi J, Lu L, Yuan K, Xue Y. Social Interaction With Relapsed Partner Facilitates Cocaine Relapse in Rats. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:750397. [PMID: 34671262 PMCID: PMC8520921 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.750397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Social factors strongly contribute to drug use and relapse, and epidemiological studies have found that members of peer groups influence each other to use drugs. However, previous animal models mostly failed to incorporate social factors and demonstrate the effects of social partners on drug addiction and relapse. In the present study, we investigated the transfer of relapse to cocaine seeking between drug-addicted partners in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were pair-housed and subjected to training and extinction of cocaine self-administration and conditioned place preference (CPP). 24 h after extinction test, the targeted rats interacted with a cocaine-primed (relapsed) partner or stranger, or saline-injected (unrelapsed) partner for 30 min, after which the targeted rats were tested for drug seeking behavior. We found that social interaction with a relapsed partner increased drug seeking behavior in cocaine self-administration and CPP models in rats, while social interaction with an unrelapsed partner or relapsed stranger had no effect on cocaine seeking. Moreover, the effect of social interaction on cocaine seeking could last for at least 1 day. Our findings demonstrate a facilitation effect of relapsed social partners on drug relapse in rats and provide a novel animal model for social transfer of drug relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqiu Meng
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Yan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoxing Liu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Yimiao Gong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Shanshan Tian
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Ping Wu
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Sun
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Shi
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Lu
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Kai Yuan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Mental Health (Peking University), National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders (Peking University Sixth Hospital), Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China
| | - Yanxue Xue
- National Institute on Drug Dependence and Beijing Key Laboratory of Drug Dependence, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
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Social interaction reward: A resilience approach to overcome vulnerability to drugs of abuse. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020; 37:12-28. [PMID: 32624295 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Drug addiction is a multifactorial disorder resulting from the complex interaction between biological, environmental and drug-induced effects. Generally, stress is a well-known risk factor for the development of drug addiction and relapse. While most of the research focuses on risk factors that increase the vulnerability to drugs of abuse, recent studies are focusing on the areas of strength/positive coping approaches that can increase resistance to drugs of abuse. In this review, we concentrate on resilience, seen as a dynamic process, which can allow individuals to positively adapt within the context of a specific risk for psychiatric illness. Here, we discuss the effects of social stress in animal models on drug use, particularly cocaine. In contrast, we suggest social interaction reward when available as an alternative to drug use as an approach contracting negative stress effects and increasing resistance to drug use. Indeed, interventions, which aim at enhancing resilience to stress through the facilitation of social interaction and the enhancement of social support, could be particularly effective in helping people cope with stress and preventing drug use problems or relapse. Finally, understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying protective factors such as social interaction reward should provide the basis for future evidence-based interventions targeting substance abuse and stress-related pathologies.
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11
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Hofford RS, Bond PN, Chow JJ, Bardo MT. Presence of a social peer enhances acquisition of remifentanil self-administration in male rats. Drug Alcohol Depend 2020; 213:108125. [PMID: 32590212 PMCID: PMC7371539 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social peers influence human drug use at every stage of addiction. Using a dual-compartment apparatus that allows for limited social contact, recent work has shown that cocaine self-administration is enhanced when two rats are trained to self-administer at the same time compared to rats trained alone or trained in the presence of a saline self-administration control peer. The current study measured social influence on self-administration of the short-acting opioid remifentanil using a dual-compartment operant conditioning chamber. METHODS Adult male rats were placed in one of five groups: (1) REMI-REMI group, in which both rats self-administered remifentanil; (2) REMI-SAL group, in which rats self-administered remifentanil in the presence of a peer that self-administered saline; (3) SAL-REMI group, in which rats self-administered saline in the presence of a peer that self-administered remifentanil; and (4) REMI ALONE and (5) SAL ALONE groups, in which rats administered their respective drugs alone (no peer). Self-administration was measured using a 2-lever procedure during acquisition, maintenance, increasing fixed-ratio, and dose-response phases. RESULTS The presence of a social peer enhanced drug intake during acquisition, regardless of the drug exposure of their peer. Additionally, active lever position significantly affected remifentanil intake during acquisition and maintenance, with the greatest influence occurring when the active lever was close to the peer. CONCLUSION The presence of a social peer in the drug-taking context potentiates remifentanil self-administration, regardless of the peer's drug access. Future studies utilizing the dual-compartment apparatus will help elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying social influence on opioid abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca S. Hofford
- University of Kentucky, Department of Psychology, Lexington, KY, USA,Current Address: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA,Corresponding author: Rebecca S. Hofford, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1470 Madison Ave., Box 1230, HCSM 10-302, New York, NY, 10029, , 212-824-9175
| | - Paige N. Bond
- University of Kentucky, Department of Psychology, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Jonathan J. Chow
- University of Kentucky, Department of Psychology, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Michael T. Bardo
- University of Kentucky, Department of Psychology, Lexington, KY, USA
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12
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Venniro M, Shaham Y. An operant social self-administration and choice model in rats. Nat Protoc 2020; 15:1542-1559. [PMID: 32203485 PMCID: PMC8409109 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-020-0296-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
It is difficult to translate results from animal research on addiction to an understanding of the behavior of human drug users. Despite decades of basic research on neurobiological mechanisms of drug addiction, treatment options remain largely unchanged. A potential reason for this is that mechanistic studies using rodent models do not incorporate a critical facet of human addiction: volitional choices between drug use and non-drug social rewards (e.g., employment and family). Recently, we developed an operant model in which rats press a lever for rewarding social interaction with a peer and then choose between an addictive drug (heroin or methamphetamine) and social interaction. Using this model, we showed that rewarding social interaction suppresses drug self-administration, relapse to drug seeking, and brain responses to drug-associated cues. Here, we describe a protocol for operant social interaction using a discrete-trial choice between drugs and social interaction that causes voluntary abstinence from the drug and tests for incubation of drug craving (the time-dependent increase in drug seeking during abstinence). This protocol is flexible but generally requires 8-9 weeks for completion. We also provide a detailed description of the technical requirements and procedures for building the social self-administration and choice apparatus. Our protocol provides a reliable way to study the role of operant social reward in addiction and addiction vulnerability in the context of choices. We propose that this protocol can be used to study brain mechanisms of operant social reward and potentially impairments in social reward in animal models of psychiatric disorders and pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Venniro
- Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Yavin Shaham
- Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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He C, Wang J, Ma M, Wang H. Sexual cues influence cocaine-induced locomotion, anxiety and the immunoreactivity of oestrogen receptor alpha and tyrosine hydroxylase in both sexes. J Neuroendocrinol 2019; 31:e12720. [PMID: 31009113 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Dyadic physical social interaction influences cocaine-seeking behaviour, although whether limited sexual cues (LSC) from an opposite-sex partner influence the behavioural responses to cocaine is unclear. We investigated this issue using a cylindrical wire cage containing a stimulus mouse; the subject mouse (of the opposite sex) had access to this stimulus mouse during a "binge" injection pattern (injected with cocaine or saline vehicle twice a day at 6-hour intervals). Following the second injection, locomotion and anxiety-like behaviours were examined using the open-field and elevated plus maze test, at the same time as oestrogen receptor (ER)α and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivities were also examined. The data indicate that LSC enhanced cocaine-stimulated locomotion in both sexes and inhibited the levels of anxiety caused by cocaine in males only. Accompanying these changes, the interaction between LSC and cocaine altered ERα immunoreactivity in the ventral medial nuclei of the hypothalamus (VMH) and medial amygdaloid nucleus (MeA) of males, whereas such interaction effects occurred in the VMH, MeA, arcuate nucleus (AR), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) and lateral septum (LS) of females. LSC increased cocaine-induced ERα immunoreactivity in the VMH in males and reduced cocaine-induced ERα immunoreactivity in the AR and LS in females. LSC up-regulated cocaine-induced increases in ventral tegmental area (VTA) TH immunoreactivity in females only. Our present data suggest that interactions between LSC and cocaine led to changes in ERα and TH immunoreactivity in a brain region-specific manner, which showed subtle differences in both sexes. The effects of LSC-mediated cocaine-induced locomotion and anxiety may be associated with alterations in ERα and dopamine activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen He
- College of Biological Sciences and Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Jianli Wang
- College of Biological Sciences and Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Ming Ma
- College of Biological Sciences and Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Heng Wang
- College of Biological Sciences and Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
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Social modulation of drug use and drug addiction. Neuropharmacology 2019; 159:107545. [PMID: 30807753 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2019.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2018] [Revised: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
This review aims to demonstrate how social science and behavioral neurosciences have highlighted the influence of social interactions on drug use in animal models. In neurosciences, the effect of global social context that are distal from drug use has been widely studied. For human and other social animals such as monkeys and rodents, positive social interactions are rewarding, can overcome drug reward and, in all, protect from drug use. In contrast, as other types of stress, negative social experiences facilitate the development and maintenance of drug abuse. However, interest recently emerged in the effect of so-called "proximal" social factors, that is, social interactions during drug-taking. These recent studies have characterized the role of the drug considered, the sharing of drug experience and the familiarity of the peer which interaction are made with. We also examine the few studies regarding the sensorial mediator of social behaviors and critically review the neural mediation of social factors on drug use. However, despite considerable characterization of the factors modulating distal influences, the mechanisms for proximal influences on drug use remain largely unknown. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'The neuropharmacology of social behavior: from bench to bedside'.
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The effects of social contact on cocaine intake in female rats. Drug Alcohol Depend 2017; 177:48-53. [PMID: 28558271 PMCID: PMC5534368 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2017.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Revised: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 03/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies conducted in male rats report that social contact can either facilitate or inhibit drug intake depending on the behavior of social partners. The purpose of the present study was to: (1) examine the effects of social contact on cocaine intake in female rats, (2) examine the behavioral mechanisms by which social contact influences cocaine intake, and (3) examine whether the estrous cycle moderates the effects of social contact on cocaine intake. METHODS Female rats were assigned to either isolated or pair-housed conditions in which a social partner either had access to cocaine (cocaine partner) or did not have access to cocaine (abstinent partner). Pair-housed rats were tested in custom-built operant conditioning chambers that allowed both rats to be tested simultaneously in the same chamber. RESULTS Rats housed with a cocaine partner self-administered more cocaine than isolated rats and rats housed with an abstinent partner. A behavioral economic analysis indicated that these differences were driven by a greater intensity of cocaine demand (i.e., greater intake at lower unit prices) in rats housed with a cocaine partner. Multivariate modeling revealed that the estrous cycle did not moderate the effects of social contact on cocaine intake. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that: (1) social contact influences cocaine self-administration in females in a manner similar to that reported in males, (2) these effects are due to differences in the effects of social contact on the intensity of cocaine demand, and (3) these effects are consistent across all phases of the estrous cycle.
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Robinson AM, Lacy RT, Strickland JC, Magee CP, Smith MA. The effects of social contact on cocaine intake under extended-access conditions in male rats. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2016; 24:285-96. [PMID: 27454676 PMCID: PMC4965182 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Social learning theories of drug use propose that drug use is influenced by the behavior of peers. We previously reported that cocaine self-administration under limited-access conditions can be either facilitated or inhibited by social contact, depending on the behavior of a peer. The purpose of this study was to determine whether social contact influences cocaine self-administration under conditions that are more representative of problematic patterns of drug use. Male rats were assigned to either isolated or pair-housed conditions in which a social partner either had access to cocaine or did not have access to cocaine. Pair-housed rats were tested in custom-built operant conditioning chambers that allowed both rats to be tested simultaneously in the same chamber. In Experiment 1, rats were tested for 14 consecutive days during daily 6-hr test sessions. In Experiment 2, different doses of cocaine were tested in 23-hr test sessions conducted every 3 days. All groups of rats escalated their cocaine intake in Experiment 1; however, pair-housed rats with a partner without access to cocaine had lower levels of intake throughout the 14 days of testing. In Experiment 2, pair-housed rats with a partner without access to cocaine had lower levels of cocaine intake than did rats with a partner with access to cocaine, and this effect was observed at all doses of cocaine tested. These data indicate that the behavior of a social partner (i.e., whether or not that partner is also self-administering cocaine) influences cocaine self-administration under conditions that model problematic patterns of drug use. (PsycINFO Database Record
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ryan T Lacy
- Department of Psychology, Franklin and Marshall College
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17
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Strickland JC, Smith MA. Animal models of social contact and drug self-administration. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2015; 136:47-54. [PMID: 26159089 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2015.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2015] [Revised: 06/27/2015] [Accepted: 06/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Social learning theories of drug abuse propose that individuals imitate drug use behaviors modeled by social peers, and that these behaviors are selectively reinforced and/or punished depending on group norms. Historically, animal models of social influence have focused on distal factors (i.e., those factors outside the drug-taking context) in drug self-administration studies. Recently, several investigators have developed novel models, or significantly modified existing models, to examine the role of proximal factors (i.e., those factors that are immediately present at the time of drug taking) on measures of drug self-administration. Studies using these newer models have revealed several important conclusions regarding the effects of social learning on drug abuse: 1) the presence of a social partner influences drug self-administration, 2) the behavior of a social partner determines whether social contact will increase or decrease drug intake, and 3) social partners can model and imitate specific patterns of drug self-administration. These findings are congruent with those obtained in the human laboratory, providing support for the cross-species generality and validity of these preclinical models. This mini-review describes in detail some of the preclinical animal models used to study social contact and drug self-administration to guide future research on social learning and drug abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark A Smith
- Department of Psychology, Davidson College, Davidson, NC 28035, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, Davidson, NC 28035, USA.
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18
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Lacy RT, Strickland JC, Smith MA. Cocaine self-administration in social dyads using custom-built operant conditioning chambers. J Neurosci Methods 2014; 236:11-8. [PMID: 25109902 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2014.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2014] [Revised: 07/22/2014] [Accepted: 07/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traditionally, the analysis of intravenous drug self-administration is limited to conditions in which subjects are tested in isolation. This limits the translational appeal of these studies because drug use in humans often occurs in the presence of others. NEW METHOD We used custom-built operant conditioning chambers that allowed social dyads visual, olfactory, auditory, and limited tactile contact while concurrently self-administering cocaine. Male rats were trained to respond according to a fixed interval schedule of reinforcement (with a limited hold) in order to determine if patterns of cocaine (0.75mg/kg/infusion) self-administration became more similar over time in social pairs. Cocaine self-administration was tested across five days according to a 10-min fixed interval schedule (with a 5-min limited hold). Quarter-life values (time at which 25% of responses were emitted per interval) were analyzed using intraclass correlations. RESULTS The total number of reinforcers obtained did not vary across the five days of testing; however, quarter-life values became progressively more similar between individuals within the social dyads. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS Standard operant conditioning chambers are unable to assess responding in multiple animals due to their small size, the need to prevent subjects from responding on the lever of their partner, and the need to prevent infusion lines from entangling. By using custom-built social operant conditioning chambers, we assessed the effects of social contact on cocaine self-administration. CONCLUSION Social operant conditioning chambers can be used as a preclinical method to examine social influences on drug self-administration under conditions that approximate human substance use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan T Lacy
- Department of Psychology, Davidson College, USA
| | | | - Mark A Smith
- Department of Psychology, Davidson College, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Davidson College, USA.
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Greenwald MK, Ledgerwood DM, Lundahl LH, Steinmiller CL. Effect of experimental analogs of contingency management treatment on cocaine seeking behavior. Drug Alcohol Depend 2014; 139:164-8. [PMID: 24685561 PMCID: PMC5532806 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2014.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2013] [Revised: 03/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/07/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Contingency management (CM) treatment is effective for treating cocaine dependence but further mechanistic studies of its efficacy are warranted. This study aimed to determine whether: (a) higher vs. lower predictable money amounts ($3 vs. $1; analogs of standard voucher-based CM) increase cocaine demand elasticity; and (b) probabilistic amounts matched for expected value with the $3-predictable amount (50% chance of $6; 25% chance of $12; and 12.5% chance of $24; analogs of prize CM) similarly affect cocaine choice. METHODS Each of 15 cocaine-dependent participants first completed a qualifying session to ensure that intranasal cocaine functioned as a reinforcer, then completed a 10-session, within-subject, randomized crossover study. During each of the 10 sessions, the participant responded on a progressive ratio schedule to earn units of cocaine (5-mg or 10-mg) and/or money (five monetary conditions above). RESULTS During the reinforcement qualifying session (10-mg vs. 0-mg units; no money alternative), cocaine choice was high. The $3-predictable amount significantly decreased cocaine choice relative to both the $1-predictable amount and the qualifying session. Cocaine-choices in the probabilistic conditions were similar to the $3 predictable condition. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that CM interventions targeted at reducing cocaine self-administration are more likely to succeed with higher value non-drug reinforcement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark K Greenwald
- Substance Abuse Research Division, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
| | - David M Ledgerwood
- Substance Abuse Research Division, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Leslie H Lundahl
- Substance Abuse Research Division, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA
| | - Caren L Steinmiller
- Substance Abuse Research Division, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI 48201, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
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Trezza V, Baarendse PJJ, Vanderschuren LJMJ. On the interaction between drugs of abuse and adolescent social behavior. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2014; 231:1715-29. [PMID: 24553578 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3471-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2013] [Accepted: 01/26/2014] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Social factors influence drug abuse. Conversely, drugs of abuse alter social behavior. This is especially pertinent during post-weaning development, when there are profound changes in the social repertoire, and the sensitivity to the positive and negative effects of drugs of abuse is altered. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to provide an overview of our current understanding of the interaction between drugs of abuse and juvenile/adolescent social behavior. METHODS We first provide evidence that a characteristic form of juvenile and adolescent social behavior, i.e., social play behavior, has reinforcing properties and is affected by drugs of abuse. Next, social risk factors for drug use and addiction are described, including antisocial personality traits and early social insults. Last, we discuss research that investigates social influences on drug use, as well as the consequences of perinatal drug exposure on later social interactions. RESULTS Social play behavior is highly rewarding in laboratory animals, and it is affected by low doses of opioids, cannabinoids, ethanol, nicotine, and psychostimulants. In humans, antisocial personality traits, most prominently in the form of conduct disorder, are a prominent risk factor for drug addiction. Preclinical studies have consistently shown altered sensitivity to drugs as a result of social isolation during post-weaning development. The social environment of an individual has a profound, but complex, influence on drug use, and perinatal drug exposure markedly alters later social interactions. CONCLUSIONS The studies reviewed here provide a framework to understand the interaction between drugs of abuse and adolescent social interaction, at the preclinical and the clinical level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Section of Biomedical Science and Technologies, University "Roma Tre", Rome, Italy
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