Neuroscience 2002 Abstract
| Presentation Number: | 289.5 |
|---|---|
| Abstract Title: | Acute estrogen enhances acquisition of cocaine self-administration. |
| Authors: |
Hu, M.*1
; Crombag, H. S.2
; Robinson, T. E.1,2
; Becker, J. B.1,2
1Dept Psychology, Univ Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 2Neurosci Prg, Univ Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI |
| Primary Theme and Topics |
Cognition and Behavior - Behavioral Pharmacology -- Monoamines and behavior |
| Session: |
289. Behavioral pharmacology: monoamines and behavior I Poster |
| Presentation Time: | Monday, November 4, 2002 8:00 AM-9:00 AM |
| Location: | Hall A2-B3 S-13 |
| Keywords: | drug abuse, DOPAMINE, SEX DIFFERENCES |
Female rats acquire cocaine self-administration at a faster rate and a greater percentage of females acquire cocaine self-administration than do male rats (Lynch et al. Psychopharm (1999) 144:77). These sex differences in stimulant self-administration may be due to ovarian hormones, in particular estrogen. For example, self-administration of cocaine varies with estrous cycle (Roberts et al. Psychopharm (1989) 98:408). Also, estrogen increases dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens, a structure implicated in reward-related processes, and potentiates cocaine induced behavioral sensitization (Jackson and Becker, 2001, SFN Abstr). This experiment was conducted to determine whether acute estrogen affects acquisition of cocaine self-administration. Two groups of female rats were used: 1) Ovariectomized (OVX) females treated with vehicle; 2) OVX females treated with 5 μ g estradiol benzoate (OVX-E) 30 min prior to the self-administration session. Rats were trained in 1 hr session on a FR1 schedule, each nose poke delivered 50 μ l /injection of cocaine over 2.8 sec (5 sec time out period). Each group was tested for 5 days/week for 3 weeks first with 0.2 mg/kg/injection (1 week) and then with 0.3 mg/kg/injection (2 weeks). Neither group self-administered 0.2 mg/kg/inj of cocaine but after 3 days with 0.3 mg/kg/inj cocaine OVX-E rats acquired cocaine self-administration. These animals self-administered on average 31± 2 infusions during the last 8 days of acquisition period. In contrast OVX rats reated with vehicle did not reliably self-administer cocaine (9±1 infusion). These results indicate that estrogen enhances acquisition of drug-taking in female rats.
Supported by DA12677; DA02494; DA00473
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2002 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. Orlando, FL: Society for Neuroscience, 2002. Online.
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