title: Sex differences in psychotomimetic-induced behaviours in rats.
abstract: Animal model studies using equal numbers of males and females are sparse in psychiatry research. Given the marked sex differences observed in psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, using both males and females in research studies is an important requirement. Thus the aim of this study was to examine sex differences in psychotomimetic-induced behavioural deficits relevant to psychosis. We therefore compared the acute effect of amphetamine or phencyclidine on locomotor activity and prepulse inhibition in adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. The results of this study were that: (1) amphetamine-induced distance travelled was greater in female rats than in male rats, (2) phencyclidine-induced locomotor hyperactivity was similar in male and female rats; (3) there were no sex differences in amphetamine- or phencyclidine-induced disruption of prepulse inhibition; (4) male rats had an increased startle response after amphetamine. These findings suggest that sensitivity to amphetamine, but not phencyclidine, differs between male and female rats, and that this sex difference is selective to locomotor hyperactivity and startle, but not prepulse inhibition. This study used two widely-used, validated preclinical assays relevant to psychosis; the results of this study have implications for psychiatry research, particularly for disorders where marked sex differences in onset and symptomology are observed.
authors.affiliation: Hormones in Psychiatry Laboratory, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia; Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Mental Health Research Institute, Parkville, Australia. Electronic address: andrea.gogos@florey.edu.au.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gogos
authors.affiliation: Hormones in Psychiatry Laboratory, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia; Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Mental Health Research Institute, Parkville, Australia; Department of Nursing, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Snezana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kusljic
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Mental Health Research Institute, Parkville, Australia.
authors.forename: Shane J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Thwaites
authors.affiliation: Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Mental Health Research Institute, Parkville, Australia; School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van den Buuse
mesh_terms: D000661:Amphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010622:Phencyclidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D065808:Prepulse Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D000661:Amphetamine; D010622:Phencyclidine
keywords: Amphetamine; Female; Locomotor hyperactivity; Male; Phencyclidine; Prepulse inhibition