Neurochemistry and Neuropharmacology
Author: Abraham Ramirez | Email: abrahamrami477@gmail.com
Abraham Ramirez 1°2°, Lucia Trossero 1°, Martin Yoldjian 1°, Cintia Konjuh 1°, Alejandra Pacchioni 1°2°
1° Laboratorio de Toxicología Experimental, Departamento de Ciencias de los Alimentos y el Medio ambiente, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario
2° CONICET-CCT Rosario
Adolescence is a developmental period associated with high stress sensitivity. Likewise, some evidence supports the relationship between stress exposure and drugs use. Our team is focused on understanding the role of Social Isolation (SI) as well as age and sex in vulnerability to cocaine in rats. Furthermore, we are evaluating the role of the Wnt canonical pathway by measuring b-catenin levels in brain areas. Recently, we showed that 5 days of SI from postnatal days (PND) 30 to 35 decreases b-catenin levels in Prefrontal Cortex (PFC); and increases cocaine response in adult male rats. Here, we examine if 5 days of SI (PND30-35) would induce cocaine sensitization on PND45 as well as changes on b-catenin levels in PFC, in female and male rats. Our results showed that SI induced cocaine (5mg/kg i.p.) sensitization only in male rats (p<0,05). Also, isolated males displayed lower exploratory (p<0,05) and higher anxiety (p<0,05) responses than controls. In contrast, female rats showed similar cocaine responses regardless previous SI exposure. In addition, b-catenin levels in PFC would decrease after cocaine injection in control as well as in isolated male rats (p<0,01). Moreover, the role of PFCs b-catenin in SI-induced cocaine sensitization will be confirmed by intraPFC pathway inhibitor infusions. Overall, these results contribute to understand the behavioural and neurobiological differences associate to stress impact during adolescence, over cocaine effects on both sexes.