Inhibiting glycine transporter-1 facilitates cocaine–cue extinction and attenuates reacquisition of cocaine-seeking behavior

BackgroundCombining extinction training with cognitive-enhancing pharmacotherapy represents a novel strategy for improving the efficacy of exposure therapy for drug relapse prevention. We investigated if the selective glycine transporter-1 (GlyT-1) inhibitor RO4543338 could facilitate extinction of cocaine-conditioned responses and attenuate reacquisition of cocaine-seeking behavior.MethodsRats were trained to self-administer cocaine (0.3 mg/kg), which was associated with a 2-s light cue under a second-order schedule of i.v. drug injection. Rats received vehicle, 30 or 45 mg/kg of RO4543338 prior to three 1-h extinction-training sessions spaced at weekly intervals. Responses were extinguished by substituting saline for cocaine while maintaining response-contingent cue presentations. Reacquisition of cocaine-seeking behavior during self-administration sessions began 1 week after the last extinction session. Control experiments were conducted under conditions that precluded explicit extinction of cocaine-conditioned responses.ResultsCompared to vehicle, 30 and 45 mg/kg RO4543338 significantly decreased responding early in extinction training and during subsequent reacquisition sessions. The latter effect persisted for at least five sessions. In control studies, reacquisition of cocaine-seeking behavior was not altered when RO4543338 was administered either prior to weekly self-administration control sessions or prior to weekly control sessions in which cocaine and cues were omitted and the levers retracted.ConclusionsAs the GlyT-1 inhibitor facilitated cocaine–cue extinction learning and attenuated subsequent reacquisition of cocaine-seeking behavior, this class of compounds may have utility as a pharmacological adjunct to cocaine–cue exposure therapy in addicts.