Impacts of reward schedules and a dopamine agonist on dopamine receptor expression in an animal model of gambling addiction

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dc.contributor.authorLaskowski, Catherine
dc.contributor.authorUniversity of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
dc.contributor.supervisorEuston, David
dc.date.accessioned2023-01-23T18:38:47Z
dc.date.available2023-01-23T18:38:47Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.degree.levelPh.Den_US
dc.description.abstractThe unpredictable payouts of random-ratio schedules, like those used by slot-machines, are highly motivating. This is likely due to the relationship between unexpected rewards and dopamine neurons, which release dopamine in response to unexpected reward. Dopaminergic activity can also be increased by dopaminergic drugs which are used to treat Parkinson’s disease. These medications have been linked to gambling addiction. In a series of experiments, rats were assessed for addiction-like behaviours after working for food reward on either a random or fixed ratio schedule of reinforcement with the addition of a dopamine agonist, pramipexole in follow-up experiments. Rats that were trained on the random ratio schedule were highly motivated but did not exhibit other signs of addiction. When pramipexole was added, rats displayed additional addiction-like symptoms and their brains exhibited significant changes in dopamine receptor expression. In sum, both unpredictable reward schedules and dopamine agonists contribute to behaviours characteristic of addiction.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10133/6416
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.proquest.subject0633en_US
dc.proquest.subject0384en_US
dc.proquest.subject0317en_US
dc.proquestyesYesen_US
dc.publisherLethbridge, Alta. :University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Neuroscienceen_US
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Neuroscienceen_US
dc.publisher.facultyArts and Scienceen_US
dc.relation.ispartofseriesThesis (University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science)en_US
dc.subjectNeuroscienceen_US
dc.subjectAddiction medicineen_US
dc.subjectCognitive scienceen_US
dc.subjectGambling addiction
dc.subjectReward schedules
dc.subject.lcshCompulsive gambling
dc.subject.lcshDopamine--Agonists
dc.subject.lcshDopamine--Receptors
dc.subject.lcshPramipexole
dc.subject.lcshRats--Behavior
dc.subject.lcshDissertations, Academic
dc.titleImpacts of reward schedules and a dopamine agonist on dopamine receptor expression in an animal model of gambling addictionen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
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