Does maternal separation make rats more prone to methylphenidate addiction

Background and Aim : Maternal separation is an animal model for studying neglect and abuse. Rodents are highly dependent on maternal care on the first days after birth. Depriving the pup of such care renders the animal with HPA dysfunction and these animals are more susceptible to anxiety and stress. These effects are due to abnormal brain development in these animals.Methods : The animals were divided into maternally separated and control group and then tested for drug preference with methylphenidate. Conditioned place preference is designed to measure drug reward learning and memory and the target location under study is ventral striatum. The first day (day1) the preference of the rat is evaluated. For 5 days the non-preferred compartment is paired with the target drug. The other compartment, which is different in texture, is paired with saline. On the 7th day the change in the preference is evaluated.Results : 5 consecutive days of methylphenidate injection with a dosage of 5mg per kg induced preference for the drug compartment in both groups.Conclusion : A dosage of 5mg per kg of methylephnidate can induce place preference in maternal separation and control group.

Keywords:

maternal separation , place preference , HPA axis