Sex and ovarian hormone cycles alter effects of stimulant drugs on mouse dopaminergic signaling - PubMed
6 hours ago
- #Dopamine
- #Sex Differences
- #Neuroscience
- Females show enhanced behavioral sensitivity to stimulant drugs compared to males.
- Sex- and hormone-dependent adaptations in the dopamine system contribute to these effects.
- Single-nucleus RNA sequencing revealed sexually dimorphic gene expression in dopamine neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens core.
- Dopamine release and clearance are enhanced in females, especially during high estradiol phases of the estrous cycle.
- Amphetamine and methylphenidate increase dopamine levels more effectively in females under certain conditions.
- Amphetamine's potency is reduced by ovariectomy and restored by estradiol replacement in the nucleus accumbens core.
- Different stimulant drugs leverage different aspects of sexually dimorphic dopamine function.
- Sex differences in drug response are not uniform and can vary with drug pharmacology.