Sex differences on spontaneous alternation in prepubertal rats: implications for an animal model of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Sex differences in the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in prepubertal children have been described. Deficits on spontaneous alternation behavior (SAB) have been proposed as an animal model of OCD.


OBJECTIVE
To explore possible sex differences in the ontogeny of SAB and in the effect of the 5-HT1A agonist, 8-OH-hydroxy-2 (di-n-propylamino)-tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) in an animal model of OCD.


METHODS
The ontogeny of SAB and the perseveration produced by 8-OH-DPAT were compared between male and female prepubertal rats.


RESULTS
Males alternated their arm choose from postnatal day 32 onwards, while females perseverated in the chosen arm until postnatal day 38. The mean number of repetitive choices remained close to 1 in males from postnatal day 23 onwards, but females showed a mean number of repetitive choices higher than 1.5 until the end of the test. The 8-OH-DPAT (0.125, 0.5 and 2.0 mg/kg, 15 min) produced perseveration in males but not in females.


CONCLUSIONS
These data show important sex differences in the ontogeny of SAB and the effect of 8-OH-DPAT in a model of OCD. Such differences could be relevant for the sex differences in the prevalence of childhood OCD.
Ulloa
Rosa-Elena
RE
Departamento de Farmacobiología, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados, Mexico City, Mexico.
Nicolini
Humberto
H
Fernández-Guasti
Alonso
A
D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000523:psychology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012741:Sexual Maturation / Q000502:physiology*
D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin