Dissociating the role of endocannabinoids in the pleasurable and motivational properties of social play behaviour in rats.

ABSTRACT: Social play behaviour is a vigorous form of social interaction, abundant during the juvenile and adolescent phases of life in many mammalian species, including humans. Social play is highly rewarding and it is important for social and cognitive development. Being a rewarding activity, social play can be dissociated in its pleasurable and motivational components. We have previously shown that endocannabinoids modulate the expression of social play behaviour in rats. In the present study, we investigated whether endocannabinoids modulate the motivational and pleasurable properties of social play behaviour, using operant and place conditioning paradigms, respectively. Treatment with the anandamide hydrolysis inhibitor URB597 did not affect operant responding or social play-induced conditioned

SUBMITTER: Achterberg EJM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4914428 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature