Human Sex Differences in D-amphetamine Self-administration

Overview

Journal Addiction

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2010 Feb 13

PMID 20148783

Citations 24

Authors

Andrea R Vansickel

William W Stoops

Craig R Rush

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Unlabelled: Women and men may respond differently to the effects of stimulants such as amphetamine and cocaine.

Aim: In order to assess potential sex differences in the reinforcing effects of d-amphetamine, a retrospective-analysis was conducted on data collected from three studies that employed similar d-amphetamine self-administration procedures and used identical subject-rated drug-effect measures.

Methods: Data from 10 women and 15 men were included in the analysis. In all studies, participants sampled placebo, low (8-10 mg) or high (16-20 mg) dose oral d-amphetamine. Following sampling sessions, participants worked for capsules containing one eighth of the previously sampled dose on a modified progressive-ratio schedule of reinforcement. We hypothesized that women and men would be differentially sensitive to the reinforcing effects of d-amphetamine. A two-way mixed-model analysis of variance (sex and dose) and planned comparisons were used in the statistical analyses.

Results: The low dose of d-amphetamine functioned as a reinforcer in women, but not men, whereas the high dose of d-amphetamine functioned as a reinforcer in men, but not women. Men self-administered significantly more capsules under the high dose condition than women.

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that men are more sensitive to the reinforcing effects of a high dose of d-amphetamine than women. Future research is needed that determines prospectively the reinforcing effects of weight-adjusted doses of d-amphetamine in women and men while controlling for menstrual cycle phase.

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