Sex differences in locomotor response associated with amphetamine administration

BENEDETTO MM; BASMADJIAN, OM; CETTRA-ZARATE JA; RODRIGUEZ, A; CAMBIASSO MJ; PAGLINI MG

BsAS

Congreso; XXXVII Congreso Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencias (SAN); 2022

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencias (SAN)

Drug addiction is known as a chronic relapsing disease that affects both women and men. There are evidence thatindicate the existence of sex-dependent differences in its etiology, epidemiology, and progression. Moreover, theneuroadaptive responses that underlie drug abuse and addiction may involve structural and functional synapticplasticity processes. We aimed to evaluate whether there are sex dependent differences in the behavioral responseand neuronal plasticity associated with amphetamine (Amph) exposure. For this, male and female thy-1 eGFPtransgenic mice of 21 and 35 days (PN) were injected with Amph (4mg/kg) or vehicle and their locomotor activitywas quantifi ed; after 1 day withdrawal, the animals were challenged with the same administration protocol toevaluate sensitization. Four hours after the last Amph exposure, brain samples were obtained to analyze the densityand type of dendritic spines of the pyramidal neurons of the CA1 hippocampal area. The results showed that acuteAmph exposure induced hyperlocomotion in males at both PN 21 and 35, but not in females. Furthermore, re-exposure to the drug induced a greater locomotor response only in males, indicating sex differences in sensitizationto Amph. Finally, preliminary results reveal that Amph induced an increase of stubby and mushroom spines infemales at PN 21. These results show evidence of a sex dimorphic effect of Amph at behavioral level. Moreover,Amph induce hippocampal synaptic plasticity in females.