Effect of adrenalectomy and corticosterone on cocaine-induced sensitization in rats

Effects of adrenalectomy (ADX) and corticosterone (CORT) on the development and expression of sensitization to the locomotor effect of cocaine (COC) were studied in rats. Sensitization was evoked by 5 daily injections of COC (10 mg/kg) and measured after a challenge dose of the drug (10 mg/kg) after a 5-day withdrawal (on day 10 of the experiment). ADX, performed before the start of COC administration, completely blocked the manifestation of COC-induced sensitization. In contrast, ADX performed on animals already sensitized to COC did not affect the sensitized locomotor activity response to a challenge dose of COC (on day 18). Pretreatment with CORT, 10 mg/kg, but not 5 mg/kg, before each of the 5 daily COC injections facilitated the development of COC sensitization, tested after a 5-day withdrawal. When pretreated with CORT alone (10 mg/kg), the challenge dose of COC administered on day 10 induced cross-sensitization to CORT. CORT (10 mg/kg) injected acutely before COC on day 10, potentiated the expression of COC sensitization. When given alone, on day 10 CORT (5-10 mg/kg) induced an increase in the locomotor activity of rats pretreated daily (5 injections) with COC. No drug treatment induced conditioned locomotion, as measured after saline challenge on day 8. Our results indicate that CORT facilitates the development and expression of COC sensitization, while ADX blocks the initiation of the behavioral phenomenon only. Moreover, there takes place cross-sensitization between CORT and COC, which indicates a close relationship between the drug-related mechanism and behavioral sensitization.