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Operant responding for conditioned and unconditioned reinforcers in rats is differentially enhanced by the primary reinforcing and reinforcement-enhancing effects of nicotine

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Abstract

Rationale

Nicotine self-administration in rats is modest when response-contingent nicotine infusions are delivered alone (primary reinforcement) but robust when nicotine infusions are combined with a mildly reinforcing non-pharmacological stimulus. Furthermore, response-independent (non-contingent) nicotine administration also elevates responding for that same non-pharmacological stimulus, suggesting that in addition to primary reinforcement, nicotine can enhance the incentive value of other reinforcers.

Objectives

In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the reinforcement-enhancing effects of non-contingent nicotine are more dependent on the reinforcing strength of the non-pharmacological stimulus than are the effects of contingent nicotine.

Materials and methods

A weakly reinforcing light-tone stimulus was established as a conditioned reinforcer by repeated pairings with sucrose for some rats, or by delivery in an explicitly unpaired design with sucrose to other rats. Subsequently, both groups lever pressed for the stimulus with contingent nicotine, non-contingent nicotine (0.06 mg kg−1 per infusion, freebase), or non-contingent saline, according to fixed ratio and progressive ratio reinforcement schedules.

Results

Compared to sucrose-unpaired training, repeated association with sucrose established the light-tone stimulus as a robust conditioned reinforcer. Contingent and non-contingent nicotine equally elevated responding for this conditioned stimulus. Conversely, for the less reinforcing (sucrose-unpaired) stimulus contingent nicotine more effectively elevated behavior compared to non-contingent nicotine.

Conclusions

The reinforcement-enhancing effect of nicotine increases behavior controlled by both conditioned and unconditioned reinforcers; however, for less salient stimuli associative processes derived from the primary reinforcing effects of contingent nicotine may also be important. These data suggest that nicotine present in tobacco may differentially modulate stimulus-driven behavior in smokers.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Peter Olausson for his thoughtful advice about the conditioning procedures used in this experiment. “Principles of laboratory animal care” (NIH No. 85-23, revised 1985) were followed throughout all experiments. The University of Pittsburgh Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, Assurance Number A3187-01 approved this research. Preparation of this review was supported by National Institute on Drug Abuse research grants DA-10464 and DA-12655 and by a Howard Hughes Predoctoral Research Fellowship awarded to N. Chaudhri.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Nadia Chaudhri, Matthew I. Palmatier & Alan F. Sved

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Anthony R. Caggiula, Eric C. Donny, Sheri Booth, Maysa Gharib, Laure Craven, Matthew I. Palmatier & Xiu Liu

  3. Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center, University of California at San Francisco, Suite 200, 5858 Horton Street, Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA

    Nadia Chaudhri

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  1. Nadia Chaudhri
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  2. Anthony R. Caggiula
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  9. Alan F. Sved
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Correspondence to Nadia Chaudhri.

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Chaudhri, N., Caggiula, A.R., Donny, E.C. et al. Operant responding for conditioned and unconditioned reinforcers in rats is differentially enhanced by the primary reinforcing and reinforcement-enhancing effects of nicotine. Psychopharmacology 189, 27–36 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0522-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-006-0522-0

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