The effects of neonatal cocaine exposure on a play-rewarded spatial discrimination task in juvenile rats

This study examined the effects of neonatal cocaine exposure on the rewardi ng properties of play in a modified T-maze. Animals were artificially reare d from postnatal day (PND) 4-9 with drug concentrated in four daily feeds. There were four treatment groups, 40 mg/kg/day cocaine, 20 mg/kg/day cocain e, an artificially reared control and a surgery control. From PND 38-42, su bjects were tested with a food reward (EXP 1) or a play reward (EXP 2). No deficits in learning were seen when the reward was food. The 20 mg/kg/day c ocaine group, however, showed impaired learning and altered play behavior w hen the reward was access to a play partner. Neonatal cocaine exposure thus appears to differentially affect learning based on the type of reward pres ented. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.