Sensitization to caffeine and cross-sensitization to amphetamine: influence of individual response to caffeine.

Full Abstract

The present study evaluated the ability of a subchronic intermittent administration of caffeine to induce a sensitized motor response and correlated the individual susceptibility of rats to acute caffeine to the development of sensitization. Moreover, individual susceptibility to caffeine and development of motor behaviour sensitization were correlated to the behavioural response obtained after a challenge with amphetamine. To this end, rats were subdivided in "low" and "high" responders according to their individual susceptibility to acute caffeine established on the basis of the motor activity observed after the first caffeine administration. "Low" and "high" responder rats were then repeatedly and intermittently treated with caffeine (15 mg/kg, i.p.), or vehicle, every other day for fourteen days. Three days after treatment discontinuation, behavioural activation induced by acute amphetamine (0.5 mg/kg, s.c.) was measured in vehicle- and caffeine-pretreated rats. Subchronic caffeine resulted in motor sensitization of a variable degree among rats and no difference were observed between "low" and "high" responders. Moreover, caffeine pretreatment potentiated the behavioural effects of amphetamine according to the degree of caffeine sensitization but not to individual susceptibility to acute caffeine. These results demonstrate that individual susceptibility to acute caffeine does not influence the modifications in caffeine motor effects produced by its subchronic administration and does not affect the enhancement of acute behavioural effects of amphetamine in caffeine-pretreated rats, rather sensitization to subchronic caffeine administration critically influences the behavioural effects of amphetamine.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Simola, Nicola (N); Cauli, Omar (O); Morelli, Micaela (M);

Affiliation: Department of Toxicology and Centre of Excellence for Neurobiology of Dependence, University of Cagliari, Via Ospedale, 09124 Cagliari, Italy.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Behavioural brain research (Behav Brain Res), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Sep; vol 172 (issue 1) : pp 72-9

Dates: Created 2006/07/17; Completed 2006/09/20; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 16740323, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Amphetamine - pharmacology
Animals
Caffeine - pharmacology
Central Nervous System Stimulants - pharmacology
Individuality

Male
Motor Activity - drug effects
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Stereotyped Behavior - drug effects

Associated Chemicals: Central Nervous System Stimulants (0) ; Amphetamine (300-62-9) ; Caffeine (58-08-2)

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

See 100+ related articles.