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Elsevier, Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 4(91), p. 511-516

DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2008.09.002

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Individual differences in initial low-dose cocaine-induced locomotor activity and locomotor sensitization in adult outbred female Sprague-Dawley rats

Journal article published in 2008 by Bruce H. Mandt, Richard M. Allen, Nancy R. Zahniser
This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

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Abstract

Sex and individual differences are important considerations when studying cocaine responsiveness. We have previously shown that male Sprague-Dawley (S-D) rats can be classified as low or high cocaine responders (LCRs or HCRs, respectively) based on their locomotor activity following a single dose of cocaine (10 mg/kg, i.p.). Further, this distinction was found to predict dopamine transporter function, cocaine-induced locomotor sensitization, cocaine conditioned place preference and motivation to self-administer cocaine. Here we investigated whether or not individual differences in cocaine-induced locomotor activity and locomotor sensitization exist in female S-D rats. Female rats exhibited a broad range of locomotor activation following either a 5 or 10 mg/kg cocaine injection, allowing for classification as LCRs or HCRs. When administered over 7 days, both doses induced locomotor sensitization in female LCRs/HCRs. However, the magnitude of effects produced by 5 mg/kg cocaine in female LCRs/HCRs was more comparable to that produced by 10 mg/kg in male LCRs/HCRs, both of which, interestingly, developed sensitization in this study. These findings suggest that female S-D rats, like male S-D rats, can be classified as LCRs/HCRs and highlight the importance of accounting for dose when studying sex and individual differences to the effects of cocaine.