Dose and elasticity of demand for self-administered cocaine in rats. Issue 2 (April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kearns, David N.; Silberberg, Alan
• Is Part Of: Behavioural pharmacology. Volume 27:Issue 2/3(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-04
• Subjects: cocaine -- demand -- elasticity -- essential value -- rats -- self-administration; Psychopharmacology -- Periodicals; Nervous System -- drug effects -- Periodicals; Behavior -- drug effects -- Periodicals; 615.78
• DOI: 10.1097/FBP.0000000000000218
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0955-8810

Abstract

Abstract : The present experiment tested whether the elasticity of demand for self-administered cocaine in rats is dose-dependent. Subjects lever pressed for three different doses of intravenous cocaine – 0.11, 0.33, and 1.0 mg/kg/infusion – on a demand procedure where the number of lever presses required per infusion increased within a session. The main finding was that demand for the 0.11 mg/kg dose was more elastic than it was for the two larger doses. There was no difference in demand elasticity between the 0.33 and 1.0 mg/kg doses. These results parallel findings previously reported in monkeys. The present study also demonstrated that a within-session procedure can be used to generate reliable demand curves.