Amphetamine, but not methylphenidate, increases ethanol intake in adolescent male, but not in female, rats

Abstract

IntroductionThere has been an increasing interest in analyzing the interactions between stimulants and ethanol during childhood and adolescence. Stimulants are used to treat attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in these developmental stages, during which ethanol initiation and escalation often occur.MethodsThis study assessed the effects of repeated d‐amphetamine (AMPH) or methylphenidate (MPH) treatment during adolescence [male and female Wistar rats, between postnatal day (PD) 28 to PD34, approximately] on the initiation of ethanol intake during a later section of adolescence (PD35 to PD40).ResultsAmphetamine and MPH exerted reliable acute motor stimulant effects, but there was no indication of sensitized motor or anxiety responses. MPH did not affect dopamine (DA) levels, whereas AMPH significantly reduced insular levels of DA in both sexes and norepinephrine levels in females only. Repeated treatment with AMPH, but not with MPH, enhanced ethanol intake during late adolescence in male, but not in female, rats.ConclusionA short treatment with AMPH during adolescence significantly altered DA levels in the insula, both in male and females, and significantly enhanced ethanol intake in males. The present results suggest that, in adolescent males, a very brief history of AMPH exposure can facilitate the initiation of ethanol intake.

Alterations of Amphetamine Reward by Prior Nicotine and Alcohol Treatment: The Role of Age and Dopamine

“…Notably, tobacco use can lead to nicotine addiction, and nicotine can serve as a gateway drug to facilitate alcohol intake and other addictive drugs [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ]. In particular, nicotine has been reported to serve as a gateway drug for subsequent use and abuse of amphetamine, cocaine, and morphine [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ].…”

La memoria espacial, y los niveles de BDNF en el hipocampo, disminuyen en ratas adolescentes deprimidas farmacológicamente con reserpina

“…En lo que respecta a la neurobiología de estos trastornos, uno de los aspectos que se ha estudiado más es qué tipos de neurotransmisores se encuentran alterados. La dopamina se ha visto implicada en la depresión y en la manía, viéndose disminuída en la primera y aumentada en la segunda (Diehl & Gershon, 1992;Ruiz, Calliari, Genovese et al, 2018). Junto con la teoría dopaminérgica sobre la etiología de los trastornos de estado de ánimo, se ha también involucrado al factor neurotrópico derivado del cerebro (BDNF, por sus siglas en inglés).…”

Alterations of the rewarding actions of amphetamine by prior nicotine and alcohol treatment: The role of age and dopamine

“…Notably, tobacco use can lead to nicotine addiction and nicotine can serve as a gateway drug to facilitate intake of alcohol and other addictive drugs (Bechtholt and Mark 2002;DiFranza and Guerrera 1990;Horger et al 1992;Hutchison and Riley 2008;Kandel and Kandel 2015;Kandel and Kandel 2014;Kelley and Rowan 2004;Kouri et al 2001;Levine et al 2011;Li et al 2014;McQuown et al 2007;McQuown et al 2009;Meliska et al 1995;Natividad et al 2010;Rinker et al 2011;Rosenberg 2014;Schindler et al 2012;Schneider et al 2012). In particular, nicotine has been reported to serve as a gateway drug for subsequent use and abuse of amphetamine, cocaine, and morphine (Baker et al 2018;Baker et al 2013;Bechtholt and Mark 2002;Gossop et al 2006;Horger et al 1992;Hutchison and Riley 2008;Kelley and Rowan 2004;Kouri et al 2001;Levine et al 2011;Li et al 2014;Marks et al 2015;McQuown et al 2007;McQuown et al 2009;Ruiz et al 2018;Stinson et al 2005;Storey et al 2016).…”