Access to high fat chow, but not sucrose or saccharin, enhances development of locomotor sensitization to cocaine in adolescent female rats (848.8)

Abstract

Eating high fat chow enhances cocaine‐induced locomotion and sensitization in adolescent female rats; it is not known whether consumption of other preferred substances (e.g., sucrose or saccharin) also increases sensitivity to cocaine. It is also not known whether daily access to these feeding conditions is necessary to change sensitivity to cocaine, or if weekend access (i.e., 2/7 days per week) is sufficient. Adolescent female Sprague‐Dawley rats had free access to high (34.3%) fat or standard (5.7% fat) chow and free access to water, 10% sucrose solution, or 0.1% saccharin solution for 5 weeks. Rats that had weekend access to high fat chow, sucrose or saccharin had access to water and standard chow on other days. Cumulative doses of cocaine (1‐17.8 mg/kg) enhanced locomotion, and this effect increased in all groups after repeated tests. Although the rate of sensitization was comparable between groups, eating high fat chow daily (but not 2/7 days per week) significantly enhanced cocaine‐induced locomotion compared to controls. Neither daily nor weekend access to sucrose or saccharin enhanced cocaine‐induced sensitization. These results demonstrate that access to high fat chow, but not sucrose or saccharin, enhances development of locomotor sensitization to cocaine in adolescent female rats. As such, vulnerability to abuse cocaine might be increased in adolescent females that eat high fat food.Grant Funding Source: CPF supported by NIH Grant K05 DA017918 and KMS supported by NIH grant T32 DA031115