Voluntary oral methamphetamine increases memory deficits and contextual sensitization during abstinence associated with decreased PKMζ and increased κOR in the hippocampus of female mice.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Female populations exhibit vulnerabilities to psychostimulant addiction, as well as cognitive dysfunction following bouts of abuse.

Aims

The goal for this study was to advance our understanding of the mechanisms that produce sex disparities in drug addiction.

Methods

We used an animal model for voluntary oral methamphetamine administration (VOMA) and focused on male and female mice that consumed 7.6-8.2 mg/kg of methamphetamine (MA) per day during the last 18 days of the paradigm.

Results

The VOMA-exposed female mice displayed increased locomotor activity in the drug-administration context compared to male mice, demonstrating sex-specific changes in contextual sensitization. During 2 weeks of forced abstinence, mice underwent further behavioral testi

SUBMITTER: Avila JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9083019 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature