Development and persistence of long-lasting behavioral sensitization to cocaine in female mice: Role of the nNOS gene.
by
Balda MA, Anderson KL, Itzhak Y.
Neuroscience Program, University of Miami School of Medicine,
1600 NW 10th Avenue,
RMSB 6001 (R-50), Miami, FL 33136, USA.
Neuropharmacology. 2008 Dec 16.


ABSTRACT

Our recent studies have shown that the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) gene is required for the development and persistence of psychomotor sensitization to cocaine in adult but not adolescent male mice (Balda, M.A., Anderson, K.L., Itzhak, Y., 2008. Differential role of the nNOS gene in the development of behavioral sensitization to cocaine in adolescent and adult B6;129S mice. Psychopharmacology (Berlin) 200, 509-519.). The aim of the present study was to investigate the contribution of the nNOS gene to cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization in adolescent and adult female mice. Adolescent and adult wild type (WT) and nNOS knockout (KO) mice received saline or cocaine (20 mg/kg) for 5 days and then were challenged with cocaine (20 mg/kg) after a drug-free period of either 10, 30, or 90 days. Context-dependent sensitization was determined by measuring saline-induced locomotor activity in the previously cocaine-paired environment. Results show that adolescent females of both genotypes, like their adult counterparts, developed long-lasting behavioral sensitization to cocaine (a three-month period), suggesting high vulnerability of females to cocaine regardless of age. An effect of genotype was observed in the initiation of sensitization, e.g., delayed onset in the absence of the nNOS gene. The only age-dependent difference observed was that adult, but not adolescent mice developed context-dependent sensitization. The present study suggests that long-term expression of cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization in females (adolescent and adult) is nNOS-independent, unlike our previous findings in adult males.


Rats
Dopamine
The pleasure centres
The nucleus accumbens
Dopamine/D1receptors
Dopamine/D2 receptors
Dopamine/D3 receptors
Dopamine/D4 receptors
Sensitisation/D2 receptor function in mPFC
Varying susceptibility to cocaine sensitisation

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24


Refs
HOME
HedWeb
Cocaine.org
Future Opioids
BLTC Research
MDMA/Ecstasy
Superhapiness?
Utopian Surgery?
The Abolitionist Project
The Hedonistic Imperative
When Is It Best to Take Crack Cocaine?

swan image
The Good Drug Guide
The Responsible Parent's Guide To
Healthy Mood Boosters For All The Family