# The role of negative reinforcement in drug abuse

> **NIH NIH R21** · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $219,063

## Abstract

Project Summary
Behavior is governed by contingencies that relate consequent stimuli to responses in the presence of discrete
discriminative stimuli. The progression of abused drug misuse to a substance use disorder is diagnosed, in part,
by behavior being misallocated towards the abused drug as the positive reinforcer and away from nondrug
alternative positive reinforcers (e.g. social interaction, food, employment). Much of this scientific literature has
focused on how chronic drug exposure degrades these positive reinforcing stimuli. In contrast, there are few
studies that have examined how chronic drug exposure alters behaviors maintained by negative reinforcers (e.g.
driving the speed limit to remove the presentation of a speeding ticket). This R21 CEBRA application proposes
preclinical research in female and male rats to determine the effects of extended access fentanyl or cocaine self-
administration and subsequent termination on behavior maintained by negative reinforcement. Aim #1 will
establish a drug-vs-negative reinforcer choice procedure in male and female rats. Aim #2 will compare effects of
extended access drug self-administration and extended access negative reinforcement on drug-vs-negative
reinforcer chocie.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10244062
- **Project number:** 1R21DA053820-01
- **Recipient organization:** VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Matthew L Banks
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $219,063
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-03-01 → 2023-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10244062

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10244062, The role of negative reinforcement in drug abuse (1R21DA053820-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10244062. Licensed CC0.

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