Amphetamine Conditioned Place Preference in Planarians

Methand other amphetamines currently present major drug-abuse concerns. However, the demonstration and study of abuse-related behaviors expressed in animal models is expensive and time-consuming. We previously reported a novel model of conditioned place preference (CPP), which is a standard tool in abuse research, in invertebrates (planarians). In the present study, planarians were tested for light/dark preference, then exposed for 5 min to either d-amphetamine or vehicle (water) in light and then re-tested for place preference (light vs dark). The planarians’ natural strong preference for dark (15 of 16) was significantly altered by amphetamine experience, such that 12 of 16 preferred the unnatural, but amphetamine-associated, light side. These results extend the demonstration of CPP to this invertebrate species and provide further evidence in support of this model to testing/screening amphetamine-like and possibly other drugs of abuse.