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Post-retrieval extinction training enhances or hinders the extinction of morphine-induced conditioned place preference in rats dependent on the retrieval-extinction interval

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Abstract

Rationale and objective

Drug-associated memories are hypothesized to underlie the high risk of relapse in addiction. Recent studies show that post-retrieval extinction training erases fear memories by reconsolidation blockade. Here, we examine the efficacy of this non-invasive procedure in rats with drug-associated memories and explore the underlying mechanisms by varying retrieval-extinction intervals. To confirm the erasure hypothesis, in addition to the conventional spontaneous recovery and reinstatement assays, we conduct further assessment to detect the existence of drug-associated memories.

Materials and methods

Morphine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP) model in rats was used to examine the effects of post-retrieval extinction training. After the establishment of morphine-induced CPP, CPP testing was used to retrieve drug-associated memories. In the following extinction training session, two groups of rats received conventional extinction training, that is, confined extinction training or repeated testing daily; the other two groups of rats underwent confined extinction training 10 min or 3 h after CPP testing, daily. The recoverability of the extinguished CPP was examined by spontaneous recovery and reinstatement assays.

Results

Post-retrieval extinction training with a 10-min retrieval-extinction interval facilitated CPP extinction and suppressed the reinstatement and spontaneous recovery of extinguished CPP; nevertheless, CPP returned in the reinstatement assay after the 4-week spontaneous recovery test. In contrast, post-retrieval extinction training with a 3-h retrieval-extinction interval retarded the extinction of CPP.

Conclusion

These results demonstrate that post-retrieval extinction training can either improve or impair CPP extinction depending on the retrieval-extinction interval.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Yu Shen for helpful comments on the manuscript. The study was supported by funds from the National Natural Science Research Foundation of China (NSFC: 30870802, 30711120564) and National Program of Basic Research sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2009CB522002).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Neurobiology and State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, People’s Republic of China

    Xiang Ma, Jian-Jun Zhang & Long-Chuan Yu

Authors
  1. Xiang Ma
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  2. Jian-Jun Zhang
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  3. Long-Chuan Yu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Long-Chuan Yu.

Additional information

Xiang Ma and Jianjun Zhang contributed equally to this work.

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Ma, X., Zhang, JJ. & Yu, LC. Post-retrieval extinction training enhances or hinders the extinction of morphine-induced conditioned place preference in rats dependent on the retrieval-extinction interval. Psychopharmacology 221, 19–26 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-011-2545-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-011-2545-4

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