Role of Wnt canonical pathway on the impact of Social Isolation during adolescence over cocaine effects in rats: sex-specific differences

RAMIREZ, ABRAHAM; TROSSERO, LUCIA; YOLDJIAN, MARTIN; PACCHIONI ALEJANDRA M

San Luis

Congreso; XXXVIII Congreso Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones en Neurociencias; 2023

Sociedad Argentina de Investigaciones en Neurociencias

Adolescence is a developmental period associated with high stress sensitivity. Likewise, some evidence supports the relationship between stress exposure and drugs use. Our team is focused on understanding the role of Social Isolation (SI) as well as age and sex in vulnerability to cocaine in rats. Furthermore, we are evaluating the role of the Wnt canonical pathway by measuring b-catenin levels in brain areas. Recently, we showed that 5 days of SI from postnatal days (PND) 30 to 35 decreases b-catenin levels in Prefrontal Cortex (PFC); and increases cocaine response in adult male rats. Here, we examine if 5 days of SI (PND30-35) would induce cocaine sensitization on PND45 as well as changes on b-catenin levels in PFC, in female and male rats. Our results showed that SI induced cocaine (5mg/kg i.p.) sensitization only in male rats (p