title: Involvement of dopamine D2 receptors in the effect of cocaine on sexual behaviour and stretching-yawning of male rats.
abstract: The effect of cocaine (7.5, 15 and 30 mg/kg) administered in acute or subchronic mode, on the mating behaviour of sexually active male rats varied in a dose- and mode-dependent manner. Regardless of mode of treatment, 30 mg/kg markedly impaired the rats copulatory ability and impairment continued for a week after suspension of subchronic treatment. An acute dose of 15 mg/kg reduced intromission frequency, while in subchronic mode it also reduced ejaculation latency. Mount frequency was increased by 7.5 and 15 mg/kg, but only on first injection. In the case of sexually-naive male rats, acute administration of cocaine (3-30 mg/kg) stimulated penile erections at 7.5 mg/kg and motor hyperactivity at all doses. (-) Eticlopride (0.025 and 0.05 mg/kg), a DA D2 antagonist, counteracted cocaine-induced motor hyperactivity but not penile erection, which it enhanced. (-) Eticlopride at the same doses also antagonized cocaine potentiation of lisuride (0.2 mg/kg)-induced behavioural effects. When male rats treated with subchronic cocaine (15 mg/kg) were injected with the DA D2 agonist SND 919 (0.1 mg/kg), they displayed a more marked stretching-yawning behaviour than control animals receiving SND 919 at the same dose. The involvement of DA D2 receptors in cocaine-induced effects is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Modena, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giuliani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003307:Copulation / Q000187:drug effects; D018491:Dopamine Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D008090:Lisuride / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D000077487:Pramipexole; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012457:Salicylamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D052160:Benzothiazoles; D018491:Dopamine Agonists; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D012457:Salicylamides; D013844:Thiazoles; D000077487:Pramipexole; D008090:Lisuride; D003042:Cocaine; C045989:eticlopride