Intranasal Oxytocin Increases Head Motion During Functional MRI Scanning.

Oxytocin is a neuropeptide associated with prosocial behaviors, such as parent-child bonding, eye contact, and sexual activity. Intranasally-administered oxytocin has been widely used to study its effects on the brain using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Head motion is a significant confounding variable which was assessed as part of a double blind, placebo-controlled crossover study.

Robust aversive effects of trace amine-associated receptor 1 activation in mice.

Drugs that stimulate the trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) are under clinical investigation as treatments for several neuropsychiatric disorders. Previous studies in a genetic mouse model of voluntary methamphetamine intake identified TAAR1, expressed by the Taar1 gene, as a critical mediator of aversive methamphetamine effects. Methamphetamine is a TAAR1 agonist, but also has actions at monoamine transporters.

Depression-like symptoms of withdrawal in a genetic mouse model of binge methamphetamine intake.

Binge methamphetamine (MA) users have higher MA consumption, relapse rates and depression-like symptoms during early periods of withdrawal, compared with non-binge users. The impact of varying durations of MA abstinence on depression-like symptoms and on subsequent MA intake was examined in mice genetically prone to binge-level MA consumption. Binge-level MA intake was induced using a multiple-bottle choice procedure in which mice were offered one water drinking tube and three tubes containing increasing concentrations of MA in water, or four water tubes (control group).

A Mouse Model for Binge-Level Methamphetamine Use.

Binge/crash cycles of methamphetamine (MA) use are frequently reported by individuals suffering from MA use disorders. A MA binge is self-reported as multiple daily doses that commonly accumulate to 800 mg/day (~10 mg/kg/day for a 170 pound human). A genetic animal model with a similar vulnerability to binge-level MA intake is missing.