Sex differences in the effects of N,N-diethyllysergamide (LSD) on behavioural activity and prepulse inhibition.
The aim of this study was to describe sex differences in the behavioural effects of N,N-diethyllysergamide (LSD) (locomotor activity and other behavioural repertoire in the open field) and its effects on sensorimotor gating in rats (prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle reaction). Three groups of animals were analysed: males, oestral and pro-oestral phase females (EP females), and metoestral and dioestral phase females (MD females). LSD (5, 50 and 200 microg/kg subcutaneously) attenuated locomotor activity and normal behavioural repertoire, and induced flat body posture, wet dog shakes and disrupted PPI. The most prominent behavioural findings of LSD were for LSD 200 microg/kg which suppressed almost all behavioural activity. LSD had mainly inhibitory locomotor effects in males and MD females, yet in EP female rats LSD increased locomotion during the second half of testing period. The main sex differences were observed in locomotor and exploratory behaviour. Both EP and MD females were less sensitive to hypolocomotor effects of LSD and had less pronounced thigmotaxis than males. Further EP females had increased rearing after LSD 5microg/kg. On the contrary although LSD disrupted PPI in males and MD female rats, EP females were protected from this disruptive effect. Thus, EP females seem to have a lower sensitivity to LSD behavioural actions.
Pálenícek
Tomás
T
Prague Psychiatric Center, Ustavní 91, 181 03, Prague 8, Czech Republic. palenicek@pcp.lf3.cuni.cz
Hlinák
Zdenek
Z
Bubeníková-Valesová
Vera
V
Novák
Tomás
T
Horácek
Jirí
J
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D030762:Estrous Cycle; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D008238:Lysergic Acid Diethylamide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000187:drug effects; D055139:Sensory Gating / Q000187:drug effects*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D012737:Sex Factors
D008238:Lysergic Acid Diethylamide