Fentanyl Sensitization

Description

Three experiments investigating the effects of repeated fentanyl on the locomotor response of adolescent (PD 33) and adult (PD 80) rats. We hypothesized that fentanyl like many other addictive drugs would increase the locomotor response after repeated injections and the response would be greater in adolescent and adult females as compared to adult males. In Experiment 1, rats received a single fentanyl pretreatment (200 or 400 µg/kg) or saline, followed by a fentanyl challenge 48 hours later. In Experiment 2, rats received repeated fentanyl pretreatments (100 or 200 µg/kg) over seven days, followed by a fentanyl challenge after either short (48 h) or prolonged (10-day) abstinence. Experiment 3 assessed cross-sensitization, in which rats pretreated with fentanyl were later challenged with fentanyl or morphine. Locomotor activity served as an index of behavioral sensitization and activity was assessed in photobeam chambers.

Steps to reproduce

Sprague-Dawley rats from Charles River Laboratory were used. Rats were handled for three days before testing began and were group housed through the experiment. Rats were injected in the testing room and placed immediately in test chambers. Photobeam chambers were from Coulbourn Instruments. Locomotor activity (distanced traveled) and stereotypy data were collected.

Institutions

• North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University

  North Carolina, Greensboro
• California State University, San Bernardino

  California, San Bernardino

Categories

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