Amphetamine and morphine produce a conditioned taste and place preference in the house musk shrew (Suncus murinus)

J Exp Psychol Anim Behav Process. 2002 Jan;28(1):75-82.

Abstract

Rats have been shown to avoid consuming a flavor, but prefer a location, previously paired with amphetamine or morphine. A series of 4 experiments evaluated the hedonic properties of amphetamine and morphine in the house musk shrew (Suncus murinus), an insectivore that (unlike rats) is capable of vomiting when exposed to toxins. Unlike rats, amphetamine (20 mg/kg) and morphine (20 mg/kg) produced both a conditioned sucrose (0.3 M) and saccharin (0.1%) preference in shrews (administered intraperitoneally), when measured by both a 1- and a 2-bottle test. At the same dose, both drugs also produced a place preference in shrews. These results suggest that the potential of rewarding drugs to produce taste avoidance may vary on the basis of the ability of the species to vomit.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amphetamine / pharmacology*
  • Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Choice Behavior*
  • Conditioning, Psychological / drug effects*
  • Dopamine Agents / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Morphine / pharmacology*
  • Spatial Behavior / drug effects*
  • Taste / drug effects*

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Dopamine Agents
  • Morphine
  • Amphetamine