Cocaine sensitization in adult Long-Evans rats perinatally exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls.

ABSTRACT: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous environmental toxicants known to adversely affect the nervous system and more specifically the dopamine system. Developmental PCB exposure in rats has been shown to produce alterations in dopaminergic signaling that persist into adulthood. The reinforcing properties of psychostimulants are typically modulated via the dopaminergic system, so this project used a behavioral sensitization paradigm to evaluate whether perinatal PCB exposure altered sensitization to the psychostimulant cocaine. Long-Evans rats were perinatally exposed to 0, 3 or 6mg/kg/day of PCBs throughout gestation and lactation. One male and female pup from each litter was retained for behavioral testing. Both horizontal and vertical activity were used to measure cocaine sensit

SUBMITTER: Miller MM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5538918 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature