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Sex similarities and dopaminergic differences in interval timing
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Sex similarities and dopaminergic differences in interval timing

Hannah R. Stutt, Matthew A. Weber, Rachael C. Cole, Alexandra S. Bova, Xin Ding, Madison S. McMurrin and Nandakumar S. Narayanan
bioRxiv
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
05/05/2023
DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.05.539584
PMCID: PMC10187305
PMID: 37205472
url
https://doi.org/10.1037/bne0000577View
Published (Version of record) This article has now been published in a journal and has been peer-reviewed by subject experts. This version may differ significantly from the preprint version. Access restricted to faculty, staff and students
url
https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.05.05.539584View
Preprint (Author's original) This preprint has not been evaluated by subject experts through peer review. Preprints may undergo extensive changes and/or become peer-reviewed journal articles.This preprint has not been evaluated by subject experts through peer review. Preprints may undergo extensive changes and/or become peer-reviewed journal articles. Open Access

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Abstract

Rodent behavioral studies have largely focused on male animals, which has limited the generalizability and conclusions of neuroscience research. Working with humans and rodents, we studied sex effects during interval timing that requires participants to estimate an interval of several seconds by making motor responses. Interval timing requires attention to the passage of time and working memory for temporal rules. We found no differences between human females and males in interval timing response times (timing accuracy) or the coefficient of variance of response times (timing precision). Consistent with prior work, we also found no differences between female and male rodents in timing accuracy or precision. In female rodents, there was no difference in interval timing between estrus and diestrus cycle stages. Because dopamine powerfully affects interval timing, we also examined sex differences with drugs targeting dopaminergic receptors. In both female and male rodents, interval timing was delayed after administration of sulpiride (D2-receptor antagonist), quinpirole (D2-receptor agonist), and SCH-23390 (D1-receptor antagonist). By contrast, after administration of SKF-81297 (D1-receptor agonist), interval timing shifted earlier only in male rodents. These data illuminate sex similarities and differences in interval timing. Our results have relevance for rodent models of both cognitive function and brain disease by increasing represenation in behavioral neuroscience.

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