Characterizing sign-tracking behavior in female Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica).

Relapse-like behaviors have been measured in animals using the Pavlovian conditioned approach (PCA) model. During conditioning, a reward is paired with a novel, neutral cue (unconditioned stimulus; UCS). Repeated pairing of the UCS with a salient reward can elicit a conditioned response (CR). Sign tracking (STing) is a CR to the newly conditioned stimulus (CS). Subjects that show a propensity to sign-tracker (ST) show greater rates of drug-taking behaviors. The vast majority of research in sign tracking is in a male species. Few studies have measured STing in a female model, and those that have, were in a rodent model, which relies predominantly on the olfactory system. Since quail have a visual system similar to humans, and since, in humans, visual cues associated with drug-taking have been implicated as a catalyst to renewed drug-taking, further research was called for. In the current experiment, female Japanese quail, (Coturnix japonica) were conditioned to one light, which was paired with a reward (food). Results found a significant Day × Response type (STing and Goal Tracking; GTing) interaction, F(4, 128) 3.24, p = .01, partial η² = .09, indicating that STing and GTing were significantly different across conditioning days. Specifically, STing was significantly higher than GTing on all conditioning days, p's = .0001. We conclude that female quail show a propensity to sign track as previously demonstrated in female rodent models. The importance of understanding the influence of visual cues on relapse-predictive behavior in a visually orientated female model may provide potential treatments for problematic drug-taking behaviors. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

PT150 blocks the rewarding properties of ethanol and attenuates ethanol-induced reduction of egg laying in Coturnix quail.

RATIONALE: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) has been shown to be associated with a dysregulated stress system. Reducing the stress hormone corticosterone (CORT), that binds to glucocorticoid receptors, may attenuate the rewarding properties of drugs of abuse. However, the effect of blocking corticosterone receptors on ethanol reward has yet to be investigated. OBJECTIVES: The current study investigated whether the stress hormone receptor antagonist, PT150, would block the rewarding properties of ethanol via the glucocorticoid receptor system and attenuate other ethanol-induced effects. METHODS: A conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure was used to examine the rewarding properties of ethanol in an avian preclinical model. Ethanol was paired with the least preferred chamber. On alternate days, water was paired with the preferred chamber. After eight pairings, a place preference test was given that allowed subjects to have access to both chambers. Half of the subjects received PT150 prior to ethanol administration. The other half received vehicle. Time spent in each chamber during the preference tests, locomotor activity during the pairings, and egg production in female birds was recorded. RESULTS: Ethanol treatment resulted in a CPP and pretreatment of PT150 blocked the acquisition of the ethanol-induced place preference. Neither ethanol nor PT150 altered locomotor activity. Pretreatment of PT150 also increased egg production in female quail treated with ethanol. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest repeated ethanol pairings with visual cues can produce a CPP. Furthermore, pretreatment of PT150 may be a potential pharmacotherapy for blocking the rewarding properties of ethanol and may enhance egg production in female quail treated with ethanol.

Ethanol induces a dose-dependent conditioned place preference and conditioned place aversion in Japanese quail.

The conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm is commonly used to investigate the motivational properties of drugs of abuse. Cues in the environment may become paired with these motivational properties and later result in drug seeking. Because many of these alcohol-paired cues are visual, Japanese quail may be a beneficial model to examine visual cue-induced alcohol seeking behavior. The aim of the present study was to examine the motivational properties of ethanol using a visual CPP model. During CPP, quail were given an initial preference test to determine their initially preferred chamber, during which time they could explore the entire chamber for 15 min. Following the initial preference test, quail were gavaged with their assigned treatment (water or 0.75 or 2.0 g/kg of ethanol) and were confined to their initially least preferred chamber every other conditioning day for 30 min. On alternate days, they were gavaged with water and confined to the preferred chamber for 30 min. After the 8th day of conditioning, a final preference test was given. Locomotor activity was also measured during conditioning. The findings indicated that quail that received the 0.75 g/kg ethanol developed a place preference to the ethanol-paired chamber, and that quail treated with 2 g/kg ethanol developed a place aversion to the ethanol-paired chamber. Additionally, locomotor activity was reduced in quail that received the high dose of ethanol. The findings suggest that both the rewarding and aversive properties of ethanol may be observable in this visual cue CPP model. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).