Effects of maternal separation on behavioural sensitization produced by repeated cocaine administration in adulthood

We examined whether early maternal separation influenced the susceptibility to behavioural sensitization produced by repeated intravenous (i.v.) injections of cocaine in adult female rats. For the first 21 days of life litters were separated from their mother for either 15 min (MS-15) or 180 min/day (MS-180). Control animals were subjected only to regular cage changes (animal facility reared; AFR). In adulthood, these three groups did not differ in their locomotor response to placement in a novel environment or to an acute i.v. injection of cocaine. After six additional daily injections of either saline or cocaine and following a 7-day drug-free interval, sensitization was assessed by giving all rats a challenge i.v. injection of cocaine. Rats exposed to either period of maternal separation (MS-15 or MS-180) showed significantly less robust sensitization than AFR rats. Therefore, early maternal separation decreased susceptibility to behavioural sensitization produced by cocaine in adulthood and the specific duration of maternal separation had no effect on this outcome.