Cocaine and caffeine: conditioned place preference, locomotor activity, and additivity

Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1998 Nov;61(3):291-6. doi: 10.1016/s0091-3057(98)00092-6.

Abstract

Conditioned place preference (CPP) was employed to clarify the reinforcing and locomotor stimulating effects of several doses of cocaine and caffeine (0.32, 1.0, 3.2, 5.6, and 10.0 mg/kg) and to explore the possibility of additive effects between the two drugs. Additionally, the hypothesis that the reinforcing effects of psychostimulants are mediated by the same systems that control psychostimulant-induced locomotor activity was examined by conducting correlational studies between drug-induced locomotor activity and time spent in the drug-conditioned compartments. Several doses of cocaine (1.0, 3.0, 5.6, 10.0 mg/kg), and caffeine (0.32, 1.0, 3.2, 5.6, 10.0) were found to condition place preference and stimulate locomotor activity. A combination of low doses (0.32 mg/kg) of each drug appeared to be additive. A positive relationship between locomotor activity observed during conditioning and time spent in the conditioned compartment during testing was found for cocaine but not caffeine or the low-dose combination of cocaine and caffeine.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Caffeine / pharmacology*
  • Central Nervous System Stimulants / pharmacology
  • Cocaine / pharmacology*
  • Conditioning, Psychological / drug effects
  • Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Drug Interactions
  • Male
  • Motor Activity / drug effects*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Reinforcement, Psychology

Substances

  • Central Nervous System Stimulants
  • Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors
  • Caffeine
  • Cocaine