Chronic opioid exposure differentially modulates oxycodone self-administration in male and female rats.

ABSTRACT: Withdrawal from opioid painkillers can produce short-lived physical symptoms and protracted psychological symptoms including anxiety and depressive-like states that often lead to opioid misuse and opioid use disorder (OUD). Studies testing the hypothesis that opioid withdrawal potentiates the reinforcing effects of opioid self-administration (SA) are largely inconclusive and have focused on males. Although some clinical evidence indicates that women are more likely than men to misuse opioids to self-medicate, preclinical studies in both sexes are lacking. Based on clinical reports, we hypothesized that withdrawal from escalating-dose morphine injections that approximates a prescription painkiller regimen would lead to increased oxycodone SA to a greater extent in female compared to male ra

SUBMITTER: Mavrikaki M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8129895 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature