N-[1-(2-benzo[b]thiophenyl)cyclohexyl]piperidine (BTCP) exerts cocaine-like actions on drug-maintained responding in rats

The effects of N-[1-(2-benzo[b]thiophenyl)cyclohexyl]-piperidine (BTCP), a phencyclidine derivative that acts as a potent dopamine reuptake inhibitor, were examined on cocaine self-administration in rats. The effects of BTCP (0, 4, 8, 16, and 32 mg/kg, i.p.) on cocaine self-administration were teste d against cocaine doses on both the ascending (0.0625 mg/infusion) and desc ending (0.25 mg/infusion) limb of the dose-response function. BTCP decrease d self-administration of the 0.25-mg cocaine dose in a dose-dependent manne r. A 16-mg/kg dose of BTCP that strongly suppressed self-administration of the 0.25-mg cocaine dose increased the intake at the 0.0625-mg dose of coca ine. Moreover, cocaine and BTCP pretreatments produced similar patterns of decreases in self-administration of cocaine on the descending limb of the d ose-response function. The results suggest that BTCP has cocaine-like actio ns and produces a leftward shift of the dose-response curve for cocaine sel f-administration, indicating that the phencyclidine analog may substitute u nder certain conditions for the reinforcing effects of cocaine in self-admi nistrating rats. (C) 2000 American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. Publ ished by Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.