PSYCHOLOGY MASTER'S THESIS ABSTRACT

Michelle Louise Larro
MA-Research
December 2000

Conditioned Place Preference Induced by Sucrose Ingestion: Effects of Naloxone and Haloperidol

    This experiment was designed to examine whether sucrose ingestion causes activation of the same brain mechanisms and reward pathways that are associated with cravings for and reinforcement by various drugs of abuse, in order to investigate a possible connection with disorders that focus around the abuse of food (i.e., eating disorders).  The conditioned place preference procedure was used to examine the ability of sucrose to act as an effective reinforcer in rats.  Sucrose ingestion was expected to induce a conditioned place preference and administration of the dopamine and opiate receptor antagonists, haloperidol and naloxone, was expected to block conditioning.

    Results indicated that sucrose ingestion produced a mild place preference for the sucrose paired environment.  Naloxone was effective at blocking the acquisition of this place preference, implicating the opioid system in the rewarding and reinforcing actions of sucrose.  Haloperidol, however was not effective at blocking the acquisition of this place preference.

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