REINFORCING AND DISCRIMINATIVE STIMULUS EFFECTS OF BETA-CIT IN RHESUS-MONKEYS

beta-CIT (also designated RTI-55) is one of a series of 2 beta-carbome thoxy-3 beta-phenyltropane cocaine analogues that have recently been s ynthesized for characterizing the dopamine transporter and its functio n. The present study was designed to examine the behavioral effects of beta-CIT in rhesus monkeys. Two monkeys were allowed to self-administ er cocaine (0.01 or 0.03 mg/kg/inj, IV, fixed-ratio 10, 1 h/day) in ba seline sessions. When behavior was stable, beta-CIT (0.0007-0.003 mg/k g/inj, IV) was made available for self-administration for several cons ecutive sessions. beta-CIT maintained responding above saline levels i n both monkeys. Two other monkeys were trained to discriminate cocaine (0.2 or 0.4 mg/kg, IM) from saline in a two-lever, food-reinforced dr ug discrimination paradigm. beta-CIT (0.012-0.025 mg/kg, IV) fully sub stituted for cocaine as a discriminative stimulus. In both preparation s, beta-CIT was at least eightfold more potent than cocaine and had a longer duration of action. Thus, beta-CIT has cocaine-like behavioral effects indicative of a functional interaction with the dopamine trans porter.