Higher anhedonia during withdrawal from initial opioid exposure is protective against subsequent opioid self-administration in rats

Understanding factors contributing to individual differences in vulnerability to opioid addiction is essential for developing more effective preventions and treatments, yet few reliable behavioral predictors of subsequent opioid self-administration have been identified in rodents. Sensitivity to the acute effects of initial drug exposure predicts later addiction vulnerability in both humans and animals, but the relationship of sensitivity to withdrawal from initial drug exposure and later drug use vulnerability is unclear. The goal of the current study was to evaluate whether the degree of anhedonia experienced during withdrawal from early opioid exposure predicts subsequent vulnerability to opioid addiction. Rats were first tested for withdrawal sensitivity following acute injections of morphine (i.e., “acute dependence”), measured as elevations in intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) thresholds (anhedonia-like behavior) during naloxone-precipitated and spontaneous withdrawal. Rats were then tested for addiction vulnerability using various measures of i.v. morphine self-administration (MSA) including acquisition, demand, extinction, and reinstatement induced by morphine, stress, and/or drug-associated cues. Greater naloxone-precipitated withdrawal across repeated morphine injections and greater peak spontaneous withdrawal severity following a single morphine injection were associated with lower addiction vulnerability on multiple MSA measures. Withdrawal-induced anhedonia predicted a wider range of MSA measures than did any individual measure of MSA itself. These data suggest that high anhedonia during withdrawal from initial opioid exposure is protective against subsequent opioid addiction vulnerability in rodents, thereby establishing one of the first behavioral measures to predict individual differences in opioid SA. This model promises to be useful for furthering our understanding of behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms underlying vulnerability to opioid addiction.

The Role of Packing on Buying Behaviour of Rural Consumers with Special Reference to FMCG

<p>Indian rural market with its enormous size and demand base offers great opportunities to marketers. However, there are many serious challenges that FMCG manufactures face in tackling rural markets, viz., the scattered nature of rural markets, their small size, remoteness, poor connectivity and tremendous heterogeneity, low level of literacy, too many languages and dialects, cultural diversities, inadequate banking facilities, acute dependence on the monsoon; seasonal demand, and media darkness are some serious limitations. However, the issue of packing is very crucial when it comes to marketing of brands in rural areas as the brand recognition in rural areas generally through its colours, logos, shape and size. Therefore, the current study has been undertaken with an intention to understand the role of packing in rural markets. In order to realize the stated objectives the researcher constructed a structured questionnaire has been constructed and pre tested and administered on 1,600 rural respondents spread across 200 villages in the state of Karnataka. The study revealed that packing make a significant role while buying FMCG. There is a significant difference in the opinion of rural consumer respondents on importance attributed to packing while purchasing FMCG as perceived by rural consumer respondents. There is a significant influence of annual house hold income of the rural consumer respondents on the level of importance attributed to packing while buying FMCG. Majority of the rural consumer respondents preferred sachets while buying FMCG. There is a significant difference in the packing size preference of the rural consumer respondents while purchasing products. There is a significant influence of the annual house hold income of the rural consumers on kind of packing preference. Majority of the rural respondents recognize brands through reading, colours, scanning of logos/pictures/trademarks and through packing style of the products. Based on the analysis of the study a brief summary of findings have been made and a meaningful conclusion has been drawn. Finally the results have been compared with the possible evidence.</p>

Glucose and Ketone Metabolism in the Aging Brain

Brain glucose uptake is impaired in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A key question is whether cognitive decline could be delayed if this defect were at least partly corrected or bypassed. Ketones (or ketone bodies) such as beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate are the brain’s main alternative fuels. Several studies have shown that in mild-to-moderate AD, brain ketone uptake is similar to that of healthy age-matched controls. Published clinical trials show that increasing ketone availability to the brain via nutritional ketosis has modest benefits on cognitive outcomes in mild-to-moderate AD and in mild cognitive impairment. Nutritional ketosis can be safely achieved by a high-fat ketogenic diet or supplements providing medium chain triglycerides. Given the acute dependence of the brain on its energy supply and the ineffectiveness of current therapeutic strategies for AD consideration be given to correcting the underlying problem of deteriorating brain fuel supply during aging.

Haiti in the Aftermath of the Earthquake: The Politics of Catastrophe

This article examines whether the earthquake of January 2010 has the potential to generate a seismic transformation of the Haitian political and social structure. In other words, will the practices of the past persist under new forms in the period of reconstruction facing the country? Will the “politics of the belly” as well as the acute dependence of Haiti on outside forces of power continue to mould the future? Or is there room to imagine under current conditions the creation of a new state based on greater social and economic equality.