Cited by 152Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesPrenatal Substance Exposure Effects

Acquisition and maintenance of cocaine self-administration in adolescent rats: effects of sex and gonadal hormones

Lynch, Wendy J.·2008·Psychopharmacology

Abstract

Rationale Previous work has shown that adult female rats are more sensitive than adult male rats to the reinforcing effects of cocaine, an effect that appears to be due, at least in part, to ovarian hormones.Objective In this study, we examine sex differences in cocaine self-administration during adolescence, a period of marked hormonal change.Materials and methods Adolescent male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to self-administer cocaine (0.75 mg/kg per infusion) under a fixed ratio 1 schedule (i.e., each response was reinforced by an infusion of cocaine) beginning on postnatal day 30. After acquisition, responding was assessed under a progressive-ratio schedule until postnatal day 50 with blood sampling occurring before the first five sessions to determine the relationship between gonadal hormones (i.e., estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone) and motivation for cocaine. Estrous cycle phase was monitored throughout the study. Separate groups of adolescent male and female rats were compared on the acquisition of and progressive-ratio responding for sucrose reinforcement.Results Females acquired cocaine self-administration more readily than did males, and a greater percentage of females acquired self-administration. Under progressive-ratio testing conditions, adolescent females responded at higher levels than adolescent males to obtain cocaine infusions, and in females, responding was positively associated with levels of estradiol and greatest during estrus. No sex differences were observed for sucrose reinforcement.Conclusion These findings suggest that sex differences are relevant during adolescence with evidence implicating circulating estradiol level as a factor that contributes to the enhanced sensitivity in females to the reinforcing effects of cocaine.

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Crossref · 10.1007/s00213-007-1028-0

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  • p30-50 female rats show higher levels of cocaine self-administration than p30-p50 male rats, with higher levels of estradiol correlating with higher levels of cocaine self-administration in females.

    “For example, p30–50 female rats show higher levels of cocaine self-administration than p30-p50 male rats, with higher levels of estradiol correlating with higher levels of cocaine self-administration in females (Lynch, 2008).”

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Authors
Lynch, W. J.
Affiliations
University of Virginia Health System (US)
Corresponding author
Lynch, Wendy J.
Venue
Psychopharmacology
Published
2007-12-08
Volume
197
Issue
2
Pages
237-246
ISSN
  • 0033-3158 (ISSN-L)
  • 1432-2072
OpenAlex
W2006205817
Cited by
152
References
57
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 8
FWCI
3.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Psychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Università degli Studi di Firenze
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (R03DA018978)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Prenatal Substance Exposure Effects
Keywords
cocaine self-administration, adolescent rats, sex differences, gonadal hormones, estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, estrous cycle, sucrose reinforcement, fixed-ratio schedules, progressive ratio schedule, ovarian hormones
MeSH terms
Aging, Animals, Cocaine, Conditioning, Operant, Data Interpretation, Statistical, Estradiol, Female, Male, Progesterone, Reinforcement Schedule, Self Administration, Sex Characteristics, Gonadal Steroid Hormones, Testosterone, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Cocaine-Related Disorders, Estrous Cycle, Rats

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