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Cassel, Ingrid X.

Cox, Marley

Paine, Tracie A.

Peter, Mya

English

Digital Commons at Oberlin (Oberlin College)

Oberlin Digital Commons at Oberlin Research Symposium 2024 Symposium Apr 26th, 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Sex Difference in Cocaine-Induced Impulsivity: Contribution of the Mesocorticolimbic Dopamine System and Estradiol Mya Peter Oberlin College, Presenter Ingrid X. Cassel Oberlin College, Presenter Marley Cox Oberlin College, Presenter Tracie A. Paine Oberlin College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/researchsymp  Part of the Neuroscience and Neurobiology Commons Recommended Citation Access to the citation is restricted to Oberlin College users only. This Event is brought to you for free and open access by the Office of Undergraduate Research at Digital Commons at Oberlin. It has been accepted for inclusion in Research Symposium by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons at Oberlin. For more information, please contact mmcfarli@oberlin.edu. Oberlin College Undergraduate Research Symposium 2024 Sex Difference in Cocaine-Induced Impulsivity: Contribution of the Mesocorticolimbic Dopamine System and Estradiol Mya Peter, Presenter Ingrid X. Cassel, Presenter Marley Cox, Presenter Tracie A. Paine Abstract Substance use disorder (SUD) presents a major public health crisis in the United States. Studies have linked impulsivity as a risk factor and increasing evidence suggests females progress more rapidly to SUD.  We speculate this difference may be related to observed sex differences in drug-induced impulsivity.  Notably, mesocorticolimbic dopamine signaling is important for reward perception and impulsive behavior. Moreover, drug-induced increases in synaptic dopamine are mediated by estradiol. In this study we assess the effects of estradiol and progesterone on the performance of female rats on the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5CSRTT). We hypothesized that increased estradiol in females would potentiate cocaine- induced impulsivity, and increased progesterone would mitigate these effects. After training on the 5CSRTT, rats in experiment 1 were divided into diestrus and proestrus estrus phase groups. Estrus cycles were monitored daily and rats were cocaine tested in the appropriate phase. In Experiment 2, females were trained, underwent bilateral ovariectomy, then separated into four hormone treatment groups: vehicle, estradiol benzoate, progesterone, or estradiol benzoate with progesterone (administered 30 minutes prior to cocaine). In both experiments, rats were administered cocaine 10 minutes prior to testing. In experiment 1, there was a trend for cocaine to increase impulsivity (as measured by premature responses) but there was no effect of estrous cycle stage. Analysis of dopamine-related protein expression in the mesocorticolimbic system is ongoing, as well as behavioral testing for experiment 2. Understanding the role of ovarian hormones in SUD may lead to sex specific treatment strategies for this disorder. Keywords: Cocaine, Impulsivity, Sex differences, Estrogen  Recommended Citation Peter, Mya; Cassel, Ingrid X.; Cox, Marley; and Paine, Tracie A., "Sex Difference in Cocaine-Induced Impulsivity: Contribution of the Mesocorticolimbic Dopamine System and Estradiol" (2024). Research Symposium. 15. https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/researchsymp/2024/posters/15 

Sex Difference in Cocaine-Induced Impulsivity: Contribution of the Mesocorticolimbic Dopamine System and Estradiol

https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1124&context=researchsymp

Sex Difference in Cocaine-Induced Impulsivity: Contribution of the Mesocorticolimbic Dopamine System and Estradiol

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