Contribution of the suprachiasmatic nucleus to day:night variation in cocaine-seeking behavior

Recent work has shown that time-of-day influences drug-seeking behavior. The present experiments tested the hypothesis that the master circadian pacemaker located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus (SCN) is required for generating day:night differences in drug-seeking behavior, specifically the acquisition, extinction, and reinstatement of cocaine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP). Sham and SCN-lesioned (SCNx) rats were trained for cocaine-induced CPP behavior at either ZT4 (Zeitgeber time 4, 4 h after lights-on) or ZT12 (lights-off). After being tested for side preference, rats were allowed to extinguish CPP. This was followed by cocaine-induced reinstatement with 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg of cocaine. SCNx animals exhibited no 24-h locomotor activity rhythm. Acquisition of CPP behavior did not vary with time-of-day, but was greater in SCNx animals. Sham rats tested at ZT12 took significantly longer to extinguish CPP behavior compared to ZT4, an effect completely abolished by SCN lesions. Cocaine-induced reinstatement of CPP did not vary with time of day in sham rats. However, SCNx animals tested at ZT4 trended towards greater reinstatement to the low dose of cocaine, and displayed significantly less reinstatement to the higher dose of cocaine than sham rats. Additionally, SCNx rats tested for reinstatement to the lower dose of cocaine displayed greater reinstatement at ZT4 than at ZT12. We conclude that: 1) acquisition of CPP behavior does not vary between the two times of day tested but is influenced tonically by the SCN, 2) extinction of cocaine CPP varies with time-of-day and this variation depends critically on the SCN, and 3) reinstatement of cocaine CPP does not vary between the two times of day tested. However, day:night differences in reinstatement are unmasked in animals lacking an SCN, suggesting the possibility that an extra-SCN oscillator is responsible for generating variation in this cocaine-seeking behavior.