Effect of acute and subchronic administration of desipramine and venlafaxine on abuse liability of heroin in rats
type: CreativeWork
description: Opioids and antidepressants are frequently used for the treatment of various pain conditions. A combination of both drug classes may be more effective than either treatment used alone and may result in an opiate-sparing effect. The aim of this study was to investigate if motivational-neutral antidepressants with analgesic properties may affect abuse liability of heroin in rats. The effect of venlafaxine and desipramine was investigated with aid of two behavioural techniques; an intravenous drug self-administration (IVSA) and a conditioned place preference (CPP). Because some effects of antidepressants occurs with prolonged administration, effects of both, acute and sub-chronic administration of antidepressants were assessed. To determine whether antidepressants affect reinforcing properties of heroin, male Long-Evans rats were trained to press a lever in order to receive heroin (0.05 mg/kg/infusion) under a fixed ratio (FR) or a progressive ratio (PR) schedule. A control group was trained in a FR food-reinforced operant procedure. The effect of antidepressants on operant responding for heroin and food was assessed both during acquisition and, in separate groups of rats, during maintenance (i.e., after acquisition) of self-administration behaviour. Daily treatment with venlafaxine (10 mg/kg i.p.) before the operant session attenuated the acquisition of responding for heroin, but not for food. However, when tested during the maintenance phase in rats showing stable responding, acute treatment with venlafaxine only marginally affected operant responding for heroin under a FR10 schedule of reinforcement, and neither acute nor subchronic (once daily during 4 weeks) venlafaxine treatment affected responding under a PR schedule. Thus, daily treatment with an antidepressant attenuates the acquisition of heroin IVSA in a behaviourally specific manner, while having only marginal effects on maintenance of heroin IVSA. Desipramine (10 mg/kg/i.p.) also attenuated the maintenance…
abstract: Opioids and antidepressants are frequently used for the treatment of various pain conditions. A combination of both drug classes may be more effective than either treatment used alone and may result in an opiate-sparing effect. The aim of this study was to investigate if motivational-neutral antidepressants with analgesic properties may affect abuse liability of heroin in rats. The effect of venlafaxine and desipramine was investigated with aid of two behavioural techniques; an intravenous drug self-administration (IVSA) and a conditioned place preference (CPP). Because some effects of antidepressants occurs with prolonged administration, effects of both, acute and sub-chronic administration of antidepressants were assessed. To determine whether antidepressants affect reinforcing properties of heroin, male Long-Evans rats were trained to press a lever in order to receive heroin (0.05 mg/kg/infusion) under a fixed ratio (FR) or a progressive ratio (PR) schedule. A control group was trained in a FR food-reinforced operant procedure. The effect of antidepressants on operant responding for heroin and food was assessed both during acquisition and, in separate groups of rats, during maintenance (i.e., after acquisition) of self-administration behaviour. Daily treatment with venlafaxine (10 mg/kg i.p.) before the operant session attenuated the acquisition of responding for heroin, but not for food. However, when tested during the maintenance phase in rats showing stable responding, acute treatment with venlafaxine only marginally affected operant responding for heroin under a FR10 schedule of reinforcement, and neither acute nor subchronic (once daily during 4 weeks) venlafaxine treatment affected responding under a PR schedule. Thus, daily treatment with an antidepressant attenuates the acquisition of heroin IVSA in a behaviourally specific manner, while having only marginal effects on maintenance of heroin IVSA. Desipramine (10 mg/kg/i.p.) also attenuated the maintenance…
author: Magalas, Zofia
language: eng
keywords: info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/570, Biowissenschaften, Biologie, Missbrauch, Sucht, Analgetika, Antidepressiva, Abhängigkeit, Operantes Verhalten, Opioiden, Verstärker, Belohnung, Abuse, Addiction, Analgesics, Antidepressants, Dependence, Operant behaviour, Opioids, Reinforcement, Reward
date published: 2006
date modified: 2026-07-30T19:43:10Z
provider: RWTH Aachen University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen University