Differences in morphine reinforcement property in two inbred rat strains: associations with cortical receptors, behavioral activity, analgesia and the cataleptic effects of morphine.

The purpose of the current study was to investigate genetic differences between two inbred strains of rats, Fisher-344 (F344/N) and Wistar Albino Glaxo (WAG/GSto), in a number of drug-naive and drug-related behaviors, including oral and intravenous morphine self-administration. F344/N and WAG/GSto rats differed in drug-naive behaviors such as nociception, rearing and sensitivity to lick suppression tests but did not differ in locomotor activity, ambulation or grooming behavior. F344/N rats were less sensitive to thermal stimuli as measured via tail-flick response, and more sensitive to the suppressive effects of intermittent shock in a lick suppression test. The F344/N rats demonstrated a significantly greater amount of rearing in open field tests but did not differ from WAG/GSto rats in locomotor activity, ambulation or grooming behavior. In addition to the behavioral results, naive F344/N and WAG/GSto rats were found to differ in mu and alpha 2 receptor concentrations (F344/N > WAG/GSto) and in 5HT2 and D2 affinity constants (WAG/GSto > F344/N). These two inbred rat strains also differed in drug-related behaviors. F344/N rats showed significantly greater depression of locomotor activity at morphine 3 mg/kg than WAG/GSto rats. In addition, F344/N rats consumed significantly greater amounts of morphine in a two-bottle choice procedure and morphine maintained significantly greater amounts of behavior during intravenous self-administration sessions. Importantly, drug maintained behavior was significantly greater than with vehicle only in the F344/N rats during operant self-administration sessions.