Search bioRxiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/bioRxiv

bioRxiv · 10.1101/839993

Higher anhedonia during withdrawal from initial opioid exposure is protective against subsequent opioid self-administration in rats.

Swain, Y.·Muelken, P.·Skansberg, A.·Lanzdorf, D.·Haave, Z.·LeSage, M. G.·Gewirtz, J. C.·Harris, A. C.
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Understanding factors contributing to individual differences in vulnerability to opioid addiction is essential for developing more effective preventions and treatments, yet few reliable behavioral predictors of subsequent opioid self-administration have been identified in rodents. Sensitivity to the acute effects of initial drug exposure predicts later addiction vulnerability in both humans and animals, but the relationship of sensitivity to withdrawal from initial drug exposure and later drug use vulnerability is unclear. The goal of the current study was to evaluate whether the degree of anhedonia experienced during withdrawal from early opioid exposure predicts subsequent vulnerability to opioid addiction. Rats were first tested for withdrawal sensitivity following acute injections of morphine (i.e., "acute dependence"), measured as elevations in intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) thresholds (anhedonia-like behavior) during naloxone-precipitated and spontaneous withdrawal. Rats were then tested for addiction vulnerability using various measures of i.v. morphine self-administration (MSA) including acquisition, demand, extinction, and reinstatement induced by morphine, stress, and/or drug-associated cues. Greater naloxone-precipitated withdrawal across repeated morphine injections and greater peak spontaneous withdrawal severity following a single morphine injection were associated with lower addiction vulnerability on multiple MSA measures. Withdrawal-induced anhedonia predicted a wider range of MSA measures than did any individual measure of MSA itself. These data suggest that high anhedonia during withdrawal from initial opioid exposure is protective against subsequent opioid addiction vulnerability in rodents, thereby establishing one of the first behavioral measures to predict individual differences in opioid SA. This model promises to be useful for furthering our understanding of behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms underlying vulnerability to opioid addiction.

Source connections

Explore related subjects

animal behavior and cognitionPreprint

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Swain, Y., Muelken, P., Skansberg, A., Lanzdorf, D., Haave, Z., LeSage, M. G., Gewirtz, J. C., Harris, A. C.. 2019-11-12. Higher anhedonia during withdrawal from initial opioid exposure is protective against subsequent opioid self-administration in rats.. https://doi.org/10.1101/839993

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related preprints

bioRxiv2026

Can a Tiny Brain Plan? Reconstructing a Predatory Detour inthe Jumping Spider Portia labiata

Planning is the process of evaluating alternative futures to predict outcomes and guide action. Evidence for this process exists in several vertebrates, but remains contested in in-vertebrates. Jumping spiders in the genus Portia show planning-like behavior in lab studies, but how this translates to the wild is unclear, where hunts of potentially lethal spider prey occur over durations of more than an hour in dense foliage. We present the first fully video-recorded wild hunt of any Portia species, with a 3D reconstruction of its forty-two minute long route to attack an orb-weaving spider. The reconstruction suggests P. labiata may have planned its approach, avoiding a route half as long but potentially more conspicuous to the prey's sensory systems.

animal behavior and cognition↗
bioRxiv2026

Assessing Enclosure Modifications to Enhance Accessibility for Zoo-Housed Meerkats (Suricata suricatta)

Scientific advancements have contributed to increased longevity of animals in zoos and aquariums, creating a growing need for environments that remain accessible to geriatric animals and animals with disabilities. However, few empirical studies have evaluated whether accessibility-focused enclosure modifications impact species-appropriate behavior. We evaluated the effects of accessibility modifications on a group of four adult zoo-housed meerkats (Suricata suricatta), including one individual with a forelimb amputation and one geriatric individual. Low-level logs and steps were added to the enclosure to provide intermediate heights and facilitate access to elevated areas. Following the introduction of these enclosure modifications, sentry behavior increased, with all individuals engaging in this behavior compared with only one individual during baseline. The meerkats also increased their overall use of low-elevated areas following modification, although individual responses varied. Posture differed between study phases, with meerkats more frequently adopting tri/quadrupedal postures following modification. Together, these findings suggest that relatively simple accessibility-focused modifications can expand opportunities for geriatric animals and animals with disabilities to engage in species-appropriate behavior. More broadly, this case study highlights the importance of empirically evaluating accessibility interventions and incorporating universal design principles into animal spaces to accommodate individuals with diverse physical abilities and promote positive animal welfare.

animal behavior and cognition↗
bioRxiv2026

Hide and seek in a rainforest canopy : when a fruit-eating carnivore (almost) met its top predator carnivore

Prey-predator interactions in the wild are spectacular. Common reported cases come from ground-dwelling animals, in open areas and by daylight. Here, we report, for the first time, a sequence with the nocturnal arboreal kinkajou (Potos flavus), being followed ca. 20 minutes apart by one of its predators, the puma (Puma concolor), 33 m aboveground in a rainforest in French Guiana.

animal behavior and cognition↗