Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Environmental Enrichment On Self-Administration Of The Short-Acting Opioid Remifentanil In Male Rats, Rebecca S. Hofford, Jonathan J. Chow, Joshua S. Beckmann, Michael T. Bardo

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background

Opioid abuse is a major problem around the world. Identifying environmental factors that contribute to opioid abuse and addiction is necessary for decreasing this epidemic. In rodents, environmental enrichment protects against the development of low dose stimulant self-administration, but studies examining the effect of enrichment and isolation (compared to standard housing) on the development of intravenous opioid self-administration have not been conducted. The present study investigated the role of environmental enrichment on self-administration of the short-acting μ-opioid remifentanil.

Methods

Rats were raised in an enriched condition (Enr), standard condition (Std), or isolated condition (Iso) beginning at 21 days of …

Effectiveness Of Switching Smoking-Cessation Medications Following Relapse, Bryan W. Heckman, K. Michael Cummings, Karin A. Kasza, Ron Borland, Jessica L. Burris, Geoffrey T. Fong, Ann Mcneill, Matthew J. Carpenter

Psychology Faculty Publications

Introduction—Nicotine dependence is a chronic disorder often characterized by multiple failed quit attempts (QAs). Yet, little is known about the sequence of methods used across multiple QAs or how this may impact future ability to abstain from smoking. This prospective cohort study examines the effectiveness of switching smoking-cessation medications (SCMs) across multiple QAs.

Methods—Adult smokers (aged ≥ 18 years) participating in International Tobacco Control surveys in the United Kingdom, U.S., Canada, and Australia (N=795) who: (1) completed two consecutive surveys between 2006 and 2011; (2) initiated a QA at least 1 month before each survey; and (3) provided …

Reduction Of Cocaine-Induced Locomotor Effects By Enriched Environment Is Associated With Cell-Specific Accumulation Of Δfosb In Striatal And Cortical Subregions, Audrey Lafragette, Michael T. Bardo, Virginie Lardeux, Marcello Solinas, Nathalie Thiriet

Psychology Faculty Publications

Background: Early exposure to enriched environments has been shown to decrease the locomotor effects induced by repeated injections of cocaine and modify basal and cocaine-induced total protein levels of the transcription factor ΔFosB in the whole striatum of mice. In this study, we aimed at characterizing whether the profile of ΔFosB accumulation induced by enriched environments and cocaine would be similar or different in terms of brain areas and cell type.

Methods: We used mice expressing the eGFP protein in D1 receptor positive (D1R(+)) neurons to determine whether ΔFosB induced by enriched environment or cocaine injections (5×15 mg/kg) would occur …