Conditioned place preference induced by electrical stimulation of the insular cortex: effects of naloxone García, Raquel Simón Ferre, María José Puerto Salgado, Amadeo This work was supported in part by the University of Granada and Spanish Ministry of Education and Culture (National R + D Plan PB98-1284; BSO2003-06627 and PSI2010-17400). The insular cortex has been related to various sensory, regulatory, and learning processes, which frequently include affective-emotional components. The objective of this study was to investigate the possibility of inducing reinforcing effects by electrical stimulation of this cortical region in Wistar rats. Concurrent conditioned place preference tasks were conducted for this purpose, using two rectangular mazes that differed in dimensions, texture, and spatial orientation. A significant correlation was found in the preferences induced by insular cortex electrical stimulation between the two mazes. Animals showed consistent preference or avoidance behaviors associated with simultaneous insular cortex stimulation. No electrical self-stimulation was achieved. In a second experiment, animals that showed consistent place preference after the simultaneous insular cortex electrical stimulation were administered with 4 mg/ml/kg of naloxone. The results revealed that this opiate antagonist blocked concurrent place preference learning when the task was conducted in a new maze but not when it was conducted in the same maze as that in which the animals had learned the task. These results are discussed in terms of the participation of the insular cortex in various reward and aversion modalities. 2025-02-20T13:25:07Z 2025-02-20T13:25:07Z 2013-04 journal article García, R., Simón, M.J. & Puerto, A. Conditioned place preference induced by electrical stimulation of the insular cortex: effects of naloxone. Exp Brain Res 226, 165–174 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-013-3422-7 https://hdl.handle.net/10481/102554 10.1007/s00221-013-3422-7 eng open access Springer Nature