Gender differences in the effects of presynaptic and postsynaptic dopamine agonists on latent inhibition in rats

Abstract The present study investigated gender differences in the effects of presynaptic and postsynaptic DA agonists on latent inhibition in the passive avoidance paradigm. During the preexposure phase, 32 male and 32 female Wistar rats were exposed to a passive avoidance box (or a different context) and received drug injections in three trials: the control group received an injection of 10% ascorbic acid in a different context. The experimental groups received injections of 10% ascorbic acid (latent inhibition [LI] group), 1 mg/kg of the postsynaptic DA D 1 /D 2 agonist apomorphine (APO group), and 1.5 mg/kg of the presynaptic DA agonist methamphetamine (METH group) in a passive avoidance box. All experimental groups were placed in the light compartment of the passive avoidance box and were allowed to enter into the dark compartment to receive a footshock (1 mA, 2 s) in five trials over 5 days. The latency to enter into the dark compartment was recorded in these five trials. The latent inhibition occurred in the female LI group but not in the male LI group. Regardless of gender, the APO group exhibited an increase in latent inhibition. Male rats in the METH group exhibited a decrease in latent inhibition, but female rats in the METH group exhibited an increase in latent inhibition, indicating that the METH group exhibited sexual dimorphism. The gender factor interacted only with the METH group and not the LI or APO group. The present paper discusses whether gender, the postsynaptic DA D 1 /D 2 agonist APO, and presynaptic DA agonist METH may be related to schizophrenia.