Self-administration

Intravenous self-administration in rats is an extremely reliable predictor of the risk of abuse by humans and this test forms an integral component of the non-clinical package that is part of the regulatory evaluation for all CNS active drugs.

• We provide intravenous self-administration testing in rats for evaluation of the reinforcing potential of drugs. Experience with a wide range of drugs including stimulants, opioids, nicotine, MDMA and other entactogens, NMDA antagonists, cannabinoids, and benzodiazepines.
• Fixed and progressive ratio schedules of drug reinforcement
• ‘Break-point’ analysis to quantify the relative reinforcing effects of drugs

In this model rats are trained to self-administer a known drug of abuse and the ability of the test compound to maintain responding is subsequently determined. Selection of an appropriate training drug is a critical aspect of the study design and is something Sygnature experts are well-positioned to advise on.

Heroin or cocaine maintain self-administration under a fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement in rats

Assessment of reinforcing efficacy using a progressive-ratio schedule in rats