title: Sex differences in the acute locomotor response to methamphetamine in BALB/c mice.
abstract: Women use methamphetamine more frequently than men and are more vulnerable to its negative psychological effects. Rodent models have been an essential tool for evaluating the sex-dependent effects of psychostimulants; however, evidence of sex differences in the behavioral responses to methamphetamine in mice is lacking. In the present study, we investigated acute methamphetamine-induced (1mg/kg and 4mg/kg) locomotor activation in female and male BALB/c mice. We also evaluated whether basal locomotor activity was associated with the methamphetamine-induced locomotor response. The results indicated that female BALB/c mice displayed enhanced methamphetamine-induced locomotor activity compared to males, while basal locomotor activity was positively correlated with methamphetamine-induced activity in males, but not females. This study is the first to show sex-dependent locomotor effects of methamphetamine in BALB/c mice. Our observations emphasize the importance of considering sex when assessing behavioral responses to methamphetamine.
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Psychology, Houston, TX 77204-6022, United States; Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation and Statistics (TIMES), Houston, TX 77204-6022, United States.
authors.forename: Odochi
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ohia-Nwoko
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Psychology, Houston, TX 77204-6022, United States; Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation and Statistics (TIMES), Houston, TX 77204-6022, United States.
authors.forename: Colin N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Haile
authors.affiliation: University of Houston, Department of Psychology, Houston, TX 77204-6022, United States; Texas Institute for Measurement, Evaluation and Statistics (TIMES), Houston, TX 77204-6022, United States. Electronic address: takosten@uh.edu.
authors.forename: Therese A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Kosten
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D016014:Linear Models; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008694:Methamphetamine
keywords: BALB/c mice; Locomotor activity; Methamphetamine; Sex differences