This week was quite short regarding work, as I only worked on Tuesday and Wednesday. Since my mentor’s presentation is next week, she dedicated this week entirely to focusing on her thesis, which is something I cannot assist with. Instead, I was assigned to help Sonja Plasil, a post-doc currently working on a study involving rats addicted to cocaine. The study’s primary goal is to determine the role of Corticotrophin Releasing Factor (CRF), a hormone secreted by the hypothalamus that plays a key role in the body’s response to stress and addiction. Withdrawal often leads to elevated levels of CRF, resulting in increased stress and anxiety, which causes the brain to seek the drug as a coping mechanism for these negative feelings. Her study in particular is also studying the effects of a controlled virus she implanted into the amygdala of many of the rats’ brains that should theoretically help reduce stress and cravings in the rats and may be implemented in human studies down the road.
This week marked the beginning of long-term exposure for the rats, meaning they now have access to cocaine for 6 hours a day, compared to the 2 hours a day they had previously. The experimental rats each have a catheter running from their back into their jugular vein, connected to a tube and syringe containing cocaine hydrochloride dissolved in a saline solution. When the rats press a lever in their cage, controlled amounts of this solution are administered into their bloodstream. Different procedures are run to determine the extent of their addictions, including electrified levers to determine their willingness to withstand pain to get their drug, and a method where each dose takes exponentially more lever presses to be administered. (1st dose takes one lever press, 2nd dose takes 2, 3rd dose takes 4, etc.) This week, however, we are just focusing on regular administration. Since the rats are nocturnal, they stay in closed cabinets during their cocaine exposure. My tasks this week included preparing the cages by cleaning, disinfecting, and preparing new bedding. Despite negative stereotypes, the rats turned out to be very sweet and docile. However, it was sad to see how quickly they pressed their levers as soon as the cocaine became available.
I am not allowed to show photos of the rats or their chambers for legal reasons, but this is a simple diagram that effectively illustrates the administration setup used in the lab.
Outside of work, I had a wonderful 4th of July, enjoying a beach-style Independence Day on the boardwalk of Pacific Beach with a fellow Pintern, Luka. I also went skydiving for the first time in my life, an adrenaline-filled and unforgettable adventure! It’s hard to believe I’m already halfway through my stay, especially because I still feel like I’m in the introductory stages of both my internship and coastal lifestyle. I can’t wait for the remaining three weeks, and hope to understand my new project a bit better by the end of next week!
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