Rewarding Effects of the Hallucinogen 4-AcO-DMT Administration and Withdrawal in Rats: A Challenge to the Opponent-Process Theory.

A classic theory of addiction, opponent-process theory, holds that a drug's immediate rewarding effects are followed by an aversive aftereffect that drives continued use. This study tested whether a 5-HT2A agonist (4-AcO-DMT, a psychedelic) follows that pattern in male rats. In a standard place-preference test 24 hours after dosing—when the drug had cleared—the rats showed no preference for the drug-paired location, suggesting no rewarding aftereffect. However, when the test was modified to capture only the acute drug effect, the rats did show a place preference, indicating the drug itself was rewarding. In a separate test measuring only the 24-hour aftereffect, that aftereffect also produced a strong place preference.

Study at a glance

Abstract

According to the opponent-process theory of drug addiction, the intake of an addictive substance initiates two processes: a rapid primary process that results in the drug's rewarding effects, and a slower opponent process that leads to the aversive motivational state of drug aftereffects. This aversive state is integral in the desire, pursuit, and maintenance of drug use, potentially leading to dependence and addiction. However, current observational and experimental evidence suggests that the administration of a 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors-type 2A (5-HT2A) agonist, while capable of inducing a positive mental state in humans, may not generate the behavioral patterns typically associated with drugs of abuse. In this study, we found that administering the 5-HT2A agonist 4-Acetoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine fumarate (4-AcO-DMT) did not result in place preference in male rats compared to control saline administration 24 h later, after the drug has been cleared from the organism. However, in a modified place preference test where only the acute motivational effects of the drug were evaluated (excluding withdrawal), 4-AcO-DMT was found to be rewarding. Furthermore, in another modified place preference test where only the motivational effects of drug withdrawal were evaluated (excluding the acute effects of drug administration), the 24-hour aftereffect of 5-HT2A agonist administration also resulted in a robust place preference. Therefore, while 4-AcO-DMT administration was able to induce place preference, its 24-hour aftereffect also produced a strong reward. In the counterbalanced test, this reward from the aftereffect effectively overshadowed its acute rewarding properties, which could potentially create a false impression that 4-AcO-DMT lacks motivational properties. This suggests that 5-HT2A agonist administration follows a different dynamic than that proposed by the opponent-process theory of motivation and implies that the administration of 5-HT2A agonists may lead to behavioral patterns less typical of drugs associated with addiction.