D3182: The effect of the glutamate antagonist, memantine, on the development and extinction of drug-seeking behavior in Camponotus floridanus

Drug addiction is a complex and pervasive issue that affects many individuals and society at large. Research on vertebrate models has established that the transition into an addicted state is accompanied by increased glutamate transmission in the brain, with the administration of glutamate antagonists reducing withdrawal and relapse. Recently, the invertebrate species Camponotus floridanus has been shown to become addicted to morphine, exhibiting increased dopamine levels in their brains. This presents a remarkable similarity between invertebrate and vertebrate addiction. The purpose of this study is to determine if glutamate plays a role in the development and extinction of addiction in the ant species Camponotus floridanus. Experimental groups of ants were administered a sucrose-fading paradigm with morphine exposure. Simultaneously, drug groups were administered the glutamate antagonist memantine. After the paradigm, preference for morphine and sucrose was tested using a two-solution choice test. Results indicate that glutamate inhibition may have a mediating effect on addiction in ants. Understanding glutamate’s role in addiction in invertebrates provides insights into the neurobiological basis of addiction and its effects on social behaviors. Additionally, the similarity in addiction mechanisms in invertebrates and vertebrates highlights the possibility that addiction is an evolutionarily conserved phenomenon with potentially ancient origins.