Opposite effects of MK-801 on the expression of food and morphine-induced
conditioned place preference in rats
Li Yonghui1,
Zheng Xigeng2,
Bai Yunjing1,
Yang Xiaoyan2,
Sui Nan2*
1 Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Laboratory of
Mental Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Graduate School of the Chinese
Academy of Sciences Beijing, P.R. China.
2 Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Laboratory of
Mental Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, P.R. China.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
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Abstract |
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Behavioural studies have provided strong evidence for common substrates in the
rewards of natural and addictive substances, but it is still unclear whether there is a
common glutamatergic NMDA receptor mechanism involved in the processing of reward for
both. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg) on
the expression of place preference conditioned with food and morphine (5.0 mg/kg) in
rats. The data indicates that MK-801 potentiates the expression of food-induced
conditioned place preference (CPP) but retards that of morphine CPP. It also
demonstrates that the opposite effects of MK-801 on food and morphine CPP expression
were caused neither by hyperactivity nor by the impairment of memory retrieval. These
results suggest that MK-801 enhances food craving and inhibits morphine craving in rats,
and that the roles of glutamatergic NMDA receptor mechanisms in the reward processing of
natural reinforcers and addictive drugs may be dissociable.
Key Words:
MK-801, morphine, food, expression of CPP, craving