Repeated stress exposure causes strain-dependent shifts in the behavioral economics of cocaine in rats

Cocaine-experienced Wistar and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats received four daily repeated forced swim stress sessions (R-FSS), each of which preceded 4-hour cocaine self-administration sessions. Twenty-four hours after the last swim stress, cocaine valuation was assessed during a single-session threshold procedure. Prior exposure to R-FSS significantly altered cocaine responding in Wistar, but not WKY, rats. Behavioral economic analysis of responding revealed that the Wistar rats that had received R-FSS exhibited an increase in the maximum price that they were willing to pay for cocaine (P-max). Pre-treatment with the long-lasting kappa opioid receptor (KOR) antagonist norbinaltorphimine prevented the stress-induced increase in P-max. Thus, R-FSS exposure had strain-dependent effects on cocaine responding during the threshold procedure, and the stress effects on cocaine valuation exhibited by Wistar, but not WKY, required intact KOR signaling.