Biomedical subjects

Artur Rogowski

Publications and source records attributed to Artur Rogowski.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Depressive symptoms and taste reactivity in humans.

Animal studies suggest that induction of depression-like states may alter preference for sweet tastants. A major goal of the present study was to search for correlations between depressive symptoms measured by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and taste responses to sweet and bitter substances. Thirty-three nonclinical volunteers rated intensity and pleasantness of chocolate and vanilla milk as well as of sucrose- and quinine-soaked filter paper disks. Reactivity to citric acid (sour) and sodium chloride (salty) was also tested with the paper disk methodology. Taste detection thresholds were assessed by means of electrogustometry. A weak inverse relationship was found between the BDI scores (range: 3-33) and rated intensity of paper disks soaked in 60% sucrose. No correlations were found between depressive symptoms and intensity, pleasantness or identification of the other samples. Similarly, there was no relationship between the BDI scores and responses to chocolate and vanilla milk. BDI scores were not associated with electrogustometric thresholds. These data suggest that depressive symptoms may not influence taste reactivity in nonclinical population.

Aconitic Acid↗

PubMed2004

Dissociation of ethanol and saccharin preference in fosB knockout mice.

The Fos family of transcription factors may play a key role in various forms of brain plasticity. Among different genes coding Fos proteins is the fosB gene. Protein products of the fosB gene are thought to be critically involved in neural adaptations produced by chronic treatment with drugs of abuse. fosB gene transcription leads to accumulation of full-length FosB as well as its truncated form, deltafosB. Stable isoforms of deltafosB called chronic FRAs accumulate in the brain after chronic administration of various drugs of abuse. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the role of the fosB gene in two-bottle choice ethanol self-administration. For this aim, ethanol (2-8% v/v) intake and preference was assessed in fosB mutant (n=17) and wild-type (WT) mice (n=16). For comparison, consumption of saccharin (0.05-0.8% w/v) and quinine (15-960 microM) solutions was assessed in the same animals. Ethanol preference in both groups varied from around 50% for the lowest to 20% for the highest ethanol concentration. Neither ethanol intake (g/kg) nor preference differed between the two genotypes. In contrast, saccharin preference, but not intake, was higher in the fosB mutants. Only slight and inconsistent between-group differences were observed in terms of quinine preference. The present results suggest that permanent elimination of fosB gene products does not alter ethanol intake but may enhance preference for sweet solutions in mice.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed2004

Time-dependent changes in alcohol-seeking behaviour during abstinence.

Exposure of alcohol addicts to alcohol-related environmental cues may elicit alcohol-seeking behaviour even after protracted abstinence. The purpose of the present study was to assess time-dependent changes in alcohol-seeking behaviour in rats trained to respond for alcohol. The rats were re-exposed to alcohol-associated stimuli after 1, 28 or 56 days of withdrawal. During the re-exposure session, the rats were first allowed to respond in extinction. Then, reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behaviour was evoked by a complex of discrete alcohol-associated cues (auditory and light cues combined with taste and smell of alcohol). Extinction behaviour depended on abstinence duration with maximal responding after 28-day abstinence. Reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behaviour evoked by the discrete cues was highest after 56-day abstinence. No correlations were found between individual alcohol intakes, extinction behaviour and cue-induced reinstatement. These results suggest that: (i) alcohol-seeking behaviour may become more intense after long-term imposed abstinence; (ii) alcohol self-administration, extinction behaviour, and reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behaviour may be regulated by separate neural mechanisms.

Alcoholism↗

PubMed2003

Different pattern of brain c-Fos expression following re-exposure to ethanol or sucrose self-administration environment.

Exposure of alcohol addicts to alcohol-related environmental cues may elicit alcohol-seeking behavior and lead to relapse to heavy drinking. The aim of the present study was to identify brain regions activated by alcohol (ethanol)-related stimuli in Wistar rats trained to lever press for 8% ethanol solution in operant self-administration cages. Ethanol self-administration was stabilized in a maintenance phase, which lasted for 30 days. c-Fos protein expression was used as a marker of neuronal activation.Re-exposure to ethanol self-administration environment after 30-day but not after 24-h abstinence increased the number of Fos-positive nuclei in the thalamic paraventricular nucleus, granular insular cortex and medial prefrontal cortex. In general, no differences were found in c-Fos protein expression between the rats allowed to self-administer alcohol and the subjects exposed only to alcohol-related stimuli. In contrast, no increase in c-Fos immunoreactivity was observed in rats trained to lever press for sucrose solution and exposed to sucrose-related environmental stimuli after 30-day abstinence. Taken together, these results suggest that at least some thalamo-cortical circuits become more responsive to ethanol-paired stimuli after prolonged abstinence and that ethanol- and sucrose-seeking behavior may be regulated by partially different neural mechanism(s).

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Chorda tympani nerve transection does not alter operant oral self-administration of ethanol in the rat.

In experimental conditions, it has been suggested that taste factors may contribute to ethanol preference in rodents. The aim of the current study was to assess the effects of transection of a gustatory branch of the seventh cranial nerve, the chorda tympani (CT), on operant self-administration of ethanol in rats. Male Wistar rats were trained to lever press for 8% [volume/volume (vol./vol.)] ethanol solution. When 8% ethanol intake stabilized, the CT nerve was transected bilaterally in six subjects. Another group received sham operations. There were no between-group differences in terms of self-administration of 8% ethanol, either before or after surgery. In addition, self-administration of 2% and 4% ethanol, measured after surgery, did not differ between the groups. In a control experiment, two-bottle consumption of as well as preference for 0.625% [weight/volume (wt./vol.)] sucrose were significantly decreased in the lesioned subjects. The results may indicate that gustatory input of the CT nerve is not necessary for maintenance of operant oral self-administration of ethanol.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Sucrose self-administration predicts only initial phase of ethanol-reinforced behaviour in Wistar rats.

AIMS: To characterize the relationship between the sucrose- and ethanol-reinforced behaviour in Wistar rats. METHODS: Subjects (n = 31) were trained to lever press for 8% (v/v) ethanol in an operant procedure where increasing concentrations of ethanol were introduced in the presence of 8% (w/v) sucrose. The sucrose concentration was subsequently decreased from 8 to 0%. Subjects were allowed to stabilize their intake of 8% ethanol over the next 20 days. RESULTS: Self-administration of 8% sucrose (ml/kg) significantly correlated with ethanol consumption (g/kg) on days 1-5 of the 8% ethanol self-administration period. This relationship completely disappeared during the subsequent weeks of ethanol self-administration (days 6-20). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study, combined with our previous findings, may indicate that self-administration of sucrose predicts only the initial phase of ethanol-taking behaviour in Wistar rats.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship between dopamine D2 receptor-associated responses and operant ethanol self-administration in the rat: a factor analysis.

AIMS: To characterize the relationship between dopamine D(2) receptor-associated responses and operant ethanol self-administration in Wistar rats. METHODS: Thirty-two rats were first tested for apomorphine-induced sniffing and raclopride-induced catalepsy. Subsequently, the same subjects were initiated to lever press for ethanol in the sucrose-fading procedure. The subjects were allowed to respond for 8% v/v ethanol for 20 days. A factor analysis was used to characterize the relationship between D(2)-associated responses and parameters of sucrose and ethanol self-administration. RESULTS: The analysis revealed three factors accounting for 88.3% of the total variability. The first factor comprised only parameters of ethanol-reinforced behaviour. Parameters of sucrose self-administration and cataleptic responses to raclopride loaded heavily on the second and third factors, respectively. None of the factors comprised apomorphine-induced stereotypy. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that there is no relationship between apomorphine-induced sniffing, raclopride-induced catalepsy and operant responding for ethanol in Wistar rats. Our results, combined with previous reports, suggest that D(2) receptors are not primarily involved in the regulation of ethanol reinforcement.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Ethanol-reinforced behaviour predicts acquisition but not extinction of cocaine self-administration in the rat.

AIMS: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between operant oral ethanol self-administration and intravenous (i.v.) cocaine self-administration in male Wistar rats. METHODS: Twenty-four rats were trained to lever press for 8% v/v ethanol in the sucrose-fading procedure. The subjects with the highest (high ethanol responders [HER], n = 7) and lowest (low ethanol responders [LER], n = 7) ethanol intakes were selected for further experiments. After a wash-out period, during which i.v. catheters were implanted, the HER and LER were trained to nose-poke for cocaine infusions (0.33 mg/kg/infusion, a FR1 schedule) for nine daily sessions. RESULTS: The HER emitted more 'active' nose-pokes and obtained more cocaine infusions during sessions 2-4. Drug-seeking behaviour in the absence of cocaine reinforcement was then assessed for three consecutive extinction sessions. No between-group differences were found in terms of extinction of cocaine seeking. Locomotor responses to a novel environment were also similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The present results suggest that a propensity to self-administer ethanol predicts more rapid acquisition of cocaine self-administration behaviour but does not influence subsequent behaviour during extinction.

Animals↗