Sex differences in effects of opioid blockade on stress-induced freezing behavior

Laura Cousino Klein, E. Jon Popke, Neil E. Grunberg

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

The present experiment examined the effects of naloxone on freezing behavior in male and female rats following stress and no-stress conditions. Twelve male and 12 female Wistar rats were exposed to 10 min of mild, unpredictable footshock stress and to a comparable no-stress condition. Immediately following stress or no-stress conditions, subjects were injected with naloxone or saline, and two independent observers measured freezing behavior. In male rats, naloxone potentiated freezing following stress but had no effect on freezing following no-stress. In females, naloxone did not affect freezing regardless of stress conditions. These results reveal a sex difference in effects of naloxone on freezing behavior and suggest that sex differences may exist with respect to the role of endogenous opioids under stress. Copyright (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)413-417
Number of pages5
JournalPharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior
Volume61
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1998

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Biochemistry
  • Toxicology
  • Pharmacology
  • Clinical Biochemistry
  • Biological Psychiatry
  • Behavioral Neuroscience

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