Amphetamine modulation of paced mating behavior

• Published in: Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior Vol. 76; no. 3; pp. 505 - 515
• Main Authors: Guarraci, Fay A, Clark, Ann S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.12.2003; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Amphetamine - administration & dosage; Amphetamine - pharmacology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Central Nervous System Stimulants - administration & dosage; Central Nervous System Stimulants - pharmacology; Dopamine; Dopamine - physiology; Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors - pharmacology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drive; Environment; Female; Individual differences; Locomotion; Male; Medical sciences; Motivation; Neuropharmacology; Novelty; Partner preference; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Posture; Psychoanaleptics: cns stimulant, antidepressant agent, nootropic agent, mood stabilizer..., (alzheimer disease); Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopharmacology; Rats; Rats, Long-Evans; Sexual Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Social Behavior; Locomotion; Partner preference; Dopamine; Motivation; Individual differences; Novelty; Amphetamine derivatives; Rat; Dose activity relation; Mating; Multiple dose; Environment novelty; Amfetamine; Female; CNS stimulant; Sexual receptivity; Rodentia; Single dose; Catecholamine; Biological activity; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Animal; Interindividual comparison; Dopamine agonist
• ISSN: 0091-3057; 1873-5177
• DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2003.09.003

The present study evaluated the effects of acute and repeated, intermittent amphetamine administration on paced mating behavior in ovariectomized (OVX) rats primed with estrogen and progesterone. In Experiment 1, female rats were tested for paced mating behavior following acute administration of amphetamine (1.0 mg/kg). Amphetamine increased the likelihood that a female would withdraw from a male following a mount or an intromission. Although this dose of amphetamine did not alter sexual receptivity or the latency to return to a male after sexual stimulation, locomotor activity was increased significantly. Experiment 2 evaluated the dose response characteristics of acute amphetamine (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg) administration on paced mating behavior. In agreement with Experiment 1, amphetamine at all doses increased the likelihood that a female would withdraw from a male following sexual stimulation. In Experiment 3, female rats were tested for partner preference (sexually active male vs. estrous female) following acute amphetamine administration. Amphetamine treatment augmented both social and sexual preferences. In Experiment 4, female rats were administered estrogen (20 μg/kg) and amphetamine (1.0 mg/kg) for 3 weeks and tested for paced mating behavior 1 and 4 weeks later, amphetamine free. Repeated intermittent exposure to amphetamine shortened the latency to return to a male after receiving a mount on the test conducted 1 week after the final drug injections. Collectively, these results suggest that the acute effects of amphetamine on paced mating behavior may reflect a reduction in social and sexual behaviors and an increase in locomotor activity, whereas the effects of repeated exposure may reflect a change in incentive motivation.