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| BPN Monday Poster Session |
| Monday, May 27, 2024 |
| 1:00 PM–3:00 PM |
| Convention Center, 200 Level, Exhibit Hall A |
| Chair: Sean Regnier (University of Kentucky) |
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| 1. The Effects of Reacquisition Sessions on Cue-Induced Reinstatement of Alcohol-Seeking in Female Rats |
| Area: BPN; Domain: Basic Research |
| GINA L GRASMEDER (Millersville University of Pennsylvania), Taryn Mackenzie Nardi (Millersville University of Pennsylvania), Kelly M. Banna (Millersville University of Pennsylvania) |
| Discussant: Sean Regnier (University of Kentucky) |
| Abstract: The operant reinstatement model is commonly used to study relapse to drug seeking in animal models of substance abuse. Evidence of “order effects” following repeated reinstatement testing has been mixed with some studies showing decreases in responding across multiple tests and other studies failing to find this effect. In the present study, female rats (N = 14) were trained to lever press for ethanol (20% v/v). Drug delivery was accompanied by an audiovisual cue. Following 21 days of ethanol self-administration, responding was put on extinction (EXT) for 10 days. Each subject then completed three reinstatement tests, during which the previously drug-paired cue (but not the drug) was presented contingent on lever pressing. During the session immediately following Cue Tests 1 and 2, half of the animals were allowed to self-administer ethanol (“Reacquisition), while the remaining animals had a day off (“Standard”). Responding was then placed on EXT for 2–6 days before the next Cue Test. We hypothesize that (a) response rates will decrease across Cue Tests in the Standard group and (b) this “order effect” will be attenuated in the Reacquisition group. |
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| 2. Effects of Environmental Enrichment on Home-Cage and Operant 20% Ethanol Consumption in Male Long-Evans Rats |
| Area: BPN; Domain: Basic Research |
| CAMILLE LANSANG (The College of New Jersey), Andrew Velasquez (The College of New Jersey), Aneri Upadhyay (The College of New Jersey), Nikki Alexatos (The College of New Jersey), Margaret P. Martinetti (The College of New Jersey) |
| Discussant: Thomas R. Freeman (ABA Technologies Inc. - Florida Tech) |
| Abstract: Previous studies of environmental enrichment (EE), such as novel objects or manipulanda, have produced inconclusive findings regarding its effect on ethanol (EtOH) consumption. This study explored the effect of a crinkle-paper enrichment packet on EtOH consumption in home-cage and operant paradigms (Jeanblanc et al., 2019). Male Long-Evans rats (N = 36) were randomly assigned to an enriched (EE) group or control (CTRL) group at 8 weeks of age. Rats were given intermittent, two-bottle choice (IA2BC) access to 20% EtOH vs. water in the home cage for 24 hrs on Mon/Wed/Fri for 4 weeks. Thereafter, responding on FR schedules produced access to 20% EtOH via retractable sipper tubes (3-10 secs per reinforcer) across increasingly shorter sessions (4 hrs, 1 hr, 30 mins, 15 mins), with 15-min sessions modeling “binge-like” drinking. Overall, the EE rats consumed less EtOH (g/kg) compared with CTRLs in the 15-min, FR-3 operant sessions with 5-sec reinforcer deliveries. These findings suggest that EE reduces EtOH intake in male rats and provides the first test of the Jeanblanc et al. (2018) binge model using sipper-tube EtOH deliveries. |
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| 3. Ethanol Consumption Furing Intermittent Access is Not Correlated With Response Rates or Intake During Operant Self-Administration |
| Area: BPN; Domain: Basic Research |
| TARYN MACKENZIE NARDI (Millersville University of Pennsylvania), Sarah LeeAnne Charles (Millersville University of Pennsylvania), Olivia M Kraynak (Millersville University of Pennsylvania), Gina L Grasmeder (Millersville University of Pennsylvania), Kelly M. Banna (Millersville University of Pennsylvania) |
| Discussant: Sean Regnier (University of Kentucky) |
| Abstract: One challenge in studying oral self-administration of alcohol in rats is establishing ethanol as a reinforcer. This has been accomplished using an intermittent access, 2-bottle choice (IA2BC) procedure. Here, we assessed the relation between intake during home cage access using the IA2BC and subsequent response rates during ethanol self-administration. As part of a larger project, female rats (N = 14) were given access to ethanol (20% v/v) for four weeks using the IA2BC procedure. They were then trained to lever press for ethanol in standard operant chambers and allowed to self-administer the drug during 1-h sessions for 21 days. Drug delivery was accompanied by an audiovisual cue. At the end of that period, lever pressing was placed on extinction for 11 days, which was followed by a series of three cue-induced reinstatement tests. Preliminary analyses failed to find a significant correlation between intake during IA2BC and response rates or ethanol intake during self-administration. Further, intake during IA2BC was not correlated with response rates during extinction or the first cue test, suggests that intake during periods of “free” consumption in home cages does not predict intake during operant self-administration or relapse to drug-seeking. |
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