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Ethanol enhanced MDPV- and cocaine-induced aggressive behavior in mice: Forensic implications
Fabio De-Giorgio1, Eva Bergamin2, Sabrine Bilel3
1Department of Health Care Surveillance and Bioethics, Section of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
|November 11, 2021
Summary
Acute ethanol administration amplifies aggressive behavior induced by MDPV and cocaine in mice. This synergistic effect highlights how psychostimulants can interact, increasing aggression at specific dosages.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Existing literature links substance use to aggression.
- The interaction between ethanol and psychostimulants (MDPV, cocaine) on aggression remains understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the synergistic effects of acute ethanol administration on MDPV- and cocaine-induced aggressive behavior in mice.
- To determine if ethanol enhances aggression caused by psychostimulants.
Main Methods:
- A resident-intruder test was used to assess aggression in 360 male mice.
- Mice received ethanol orally 10 minutes before intraperitoneal injections of MDPV or cocaine.
- Various combinations and doses of ethanol, MDPV, and cocaine were tested.
Main Results:
- Ethanol alone increased aggression at 0.125 g/kg but not at lower or higher doses.
- MDPV or cocaine alone did not significantly increase aggression.
- Combined ethanol and MDPV or ethanol and cocaine enhanced aggression at specific ethanol dosages (0.05 g/kg and 0.125 g/kg).
Conclusions:
- Acute ethanol administration potentiates MDPV- and cocaine-induced aggressive behavior in mice.
- The findings demonstrate a synergistic interaction between ethanol and psychostimulants, leading to enhanced aggression.
- This suggests that psychostimulant drugs can act synergistically under specific conditions.
