130 research outputs found

    Evaluation of Motivational Effects Induced by Intracranial Self-Stimulation Behavior

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    In the runway model of intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) experimentation, the experimental animal is timed in running a fixed distance to depress a lever that releases electrical stimulation to an electrode implanted along its medial forebrain bundle. This ICSS has both a reward and a motivational component. Using the runway method and priming stimulation, we designed an experimental method for directly measuring motivation. An assessment of pharmacological agents that are known to influence motivational states was also undertaken. Using the experimental methods that we created, we observed prominent changes in running speed when animals were exposed to methamphetamine and nicotine. According to these data, the runway method employing intracranial self-stimulation behavior may be useful for the evaluation of substances that act on motivation. We review the underlying neuropharmacological and anatomical functions associated with our experimental methods. We hope that this technique will be used to scientifically evaluate the impact of drugs and/or therapeutic interventions on human motivation

    Motivational Effects of Nicotine as Measured by the Runway Method Using Priming Stimulation of Intracranial Self-stimulation Behavior

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    It is well known that priming stimulation promotes the motivational effects of intracranial self-stimulation(ICSS) behavior. An experimental methodology using the runway method could separately study the reward and motivational effects of ICSS behavior. In the present study, we examined the motivational effect of nicotine as measured by the runway method using priming stimulation of ICSS behavior. Electrodes were implanted chronically into the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) in rats. A lever for stimulation of the MFB was set on the opposite side of the start box in the apparatus, and rats were trained to get a reward stimulation (50-200 microA, 0.2 ms, 60 Hz) of MFB when the goal lever was pressed. After the rats were trained to press the lever, a priming stimulation of the MFB was performed. After receiving the priming stimulation, rats were placed at the start box of the runway apparatus, and the running time duration until the goal lever was pressed was measured. Subcutaneous injection of nicotine at a dose of 0.2mg/kg produced an increase in running speed to obtain the reward stimulation, and priming stimulation facilitated the motivational effect to obtain the electrical brain stimulation reward in the rats. These results suggest that nicotine significantly enhanced the motivational effect on ICSS behavior as determined using the runway method. The runway method using priming stimulation of ICSS behavior may become the new experimental methodology with which to measure the motivational effect of some drugs.</p
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