Gonadal steroids mediate the opposite changes in cocaine-induced locomotion across adolescence in male and female rats

Sarah L Parylak; Joseph M Caster; Q David Walker; Cynthia M Kuhn

doi:10.1016/j.pbb.2008.01.003

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Gonadal steroids mediate the opposite changes in cocaine-induced locomotion across adolescence in male and female rats

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Gonadal steroids mediate the opposite changes in cocaine-induced locomotion across adolescence in male and female rats

Sarah L Parylak, Joseph M Caster, Q David Walker and Cynthia M Kuhn

Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior, Vol.89(3), pp.314-323

05/2008

DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2008.01.003

PMCID: PMC2423309

PMID: 18275993

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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/2423309View

Open Access

Abstract

Evidence from both human studies and animal models indicates that cocaine elicits more behavioral stimulation in females than males. The present study sought to determine whether sex-specific responses to cocaine emerge during adolescence and to determine if gonadal steroid action during puberty affects adult responsiveness to cocaine. We administered cocaine using an escalating dose model in male and female rats at ages postnatal (PN) 28, 42, and 65 days. To assess the effects of pubertal gonadal steroid action, we compared the effects of binge cocaine administration on intact and prepubertally gonadectomized male and female rats in adulthood. Cocaine responses changed in opposite directions in males and females as they progressed through adolescence. At most doses, adolescent males were more responsive than adult males whereas adult females were more responsive than adolescent females. Ambulatory activity was age-dependent in males whereas non-ambulatory activity was age-dependent in females. Prepubertal gonadectomy increased behavioral responsiveness to the highest dose of cocaine in males whereas it decreased behavioral responsiveness to lower doses of cocaine in females. We conclude that sex differences in behavioral responses to cocaine arise during adolescence from a concurrent decrease in male responsiveness and increase in female responsiveness. Our results suggest that gonadal steroids exert lasting and opposing effects on the sensitivity of males and females to psychostimulants during development.

Cocaine - pharmacology

Gonadal Steroid Hormones - physiology

Animals

Age Factors

Motor Activity - drug effects

Rats

Female

Male

Sex Characteristics

Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Sexual Maturation

Details

Title: Subtitle: Gonadal steroids mediate the opposite changes in cocaine-induced locomotion across adolescence in male and female rats
Creators: Sarah L Parylak - Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
Joseph M Caster
Q David Walker
Cynthia M Kuhn
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior, Vol.89(3), pp.314-323
DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2008.01.003
PMID: 18275993
PMCID: PMC2423309
NLM abbreviation: Pharmacol Biochem Behav
ISSN: 0091-3057
eISSN: 1873-5177
Publisher: United States
Grant note: R01 DA009079 / NIDA NIH HHS DA 09079 / NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA019114 / NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA019114-04 / NIDA NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 05/2008
Academic Unit: Radiation Oncology
Record Identifier: 9984047784802771

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