Self-Administration
Overview
Intravenous self-administration (IVSA) is the gold standard for assessing the reinforcing properties of drugs of abuse. A catheterized animal presses a lever to receive a drug infusion (typically cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, or nicotine) through an indwelling jugular venous catheter. The rate and pattern of self-administration directly reflect the reinforcing efficacy of the drug, and the procedure has strong predictive validity for human abuse liability.
IVSA paradigms can incorporate multiple schedules (FR, PR, VI), dose-response functions, and escalation protocols. Short-access sessions (1-2 hours) maintain stable intake, while long-access sessions (6+ hours) produce escalation of intake that models the transition from controlled to compulsive drug use. Active vs. inactive lever discrimination controls for non-specific motor effects.
ConductMaze automates IVSA with precise syringe pump control, timeout signaling to prevent overdose, and real-time infusion tracking. The software supports multi-dose within-session designs, yoking protocols (yoked-saline controls), and integration with TTL-synchronized electrophysiology for recording neural activity during drug-seeking.
Trial Flow
Session Start
House light ON, levers extended, pump armed
Active Lever Press
Subject presses the active lever
Schedule Requirement
Has response requirement been met (FR, PR, etc.)?
Drug Infusion
Syringe pump activated, cue light ON during infusion
Timeout Period
Post-infusion timeout (responses recorded but not reinforced)
Session Limit Check
Max infusions, max time, or health criterion reached?
Session End
Levers retracted, pump disarmed, data saved
Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drug | enum | Cocaine | Drug delivered (cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, nicotine, ethanol) |
| Unit Dose | float | 0.5 | Dose per infusion in mg/kg |
| Infusion Duration | seconds | 4 | Duration of syringe pump activation per infusion |
| Reinforcement Schedule | enum | FR1 | Response requirement (FR1, FR5, PR, etc.) |
| Timeout Period | seconds | 20 | Post-infusion timeout to prevent overdose |
| Max Infusions | integer | 30 | Maximum infusions per session (safety limit) |
| Session Duration | seconds | 7200 | Maximum session length (short-access: 3600, long-access: 21600) |
| Active Lever Side | enum | Right | Which lever delivers drug (counterbalanced across subjects) |
| Cue Light Duration | seconds | 20 | Duration of cue light paired with infusion |
Metrics
| Metric | Unit | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Infusions Earned | count | Total drug infusions delivered during the session |
| Total Active Presses | count | Total presses on the drug-associated lever |
| Total Inactive Presses | count | Total presses on the non-reinforced lever |
| Total Drug Intake | mg/kg | Cumulative drug consumed (infusions x unit dose) |
| Response Rate | presses/min | Rate of active lever pressing |
| Inter-Infusion Interval | seconds | Mean time between successive infusions |
| Loading Phase Infusions | count | Infusions in first 10 minutes (initial drug loading) |
| Discrimination Index | ratio | Active / (active + inactive) presses |
Sample Data
| Session | Infusions | Active_Presses | Inactive_Presses | Intake_mg_kg | III_s | Disc_Index |
|---|
Representative data for illustration purposes. Actual values will vary by species, strain, and experimental conditions.
Applications
- 1Drug abuse liability — determining whether novel compounds serve as reinforcers
- 2Dose-response pharmacology — within-session dose manipulation for potency assessment
- 3Escalation models — long-access IVSA to model transition to compulsive drug use
- 4Medication development — testing candidate therapeutics for reducing drug self-administration
- 5Neural circuit dissection — combining IVSA with optogenetics to identify reinforcement pathways
- 6Sex differences — comparing acquisition, maintenance, and escalation between males and females
Related Protocols
Compatible Products
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