title: Gender differences in escape-avoidance behavior of mice after haloperidol administration.
abstract: Gender differences in the disruptive effects of haloperidol on some reinforced behaviors have been observed in different species. However, the inhibitory action of haloperidol on the acquisition and performance of escape-avoidance behavior has only been investigated in male subjects. The present experiment was designed to investigate possible gender differences in the effects of haloperidol on the initial phase of an escape-avoidance learning task. Male and female mice of the OF1 strain were given a single training session in a shuttle-box. Thirty minutes prior to the behavioral test, mice were injected IP with haloperidol (0.25 mg/kg) or physiological saline (10 ml/kg). Latencies of escape and avoidance responses and the number of nonresponses, escapes, avoidances, pseudoavoidances, crossings during the adaptation period, and crossings during intertrial intervals (ITIs) were evaluated. The disruptive action of haloperidol on the escape-avoidance behavior of the mice was greater in males than in females. The number of nonresponses were higher and the number of escapes lower in treated males than in their female counterparts. These gender differences were not found in control subjects. Activity measures of spontaneous motor behavior (crossings in the adaptation period and during ITIs) did not present gender differences either. Several possible mechanisms responsible for this greater susceptibility of males to the inhibitory effects of haloperidol on escape-avoidance learning are discussed, especially the modulating role of female hormones on dopaminergic activity.
authors.affiliation: Area de Psicobiología, Facultad de Psicología, Universitat de València, Spain.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Arenas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parra
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Simón
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D006220:Haloperidol