Metabolic and behavioral response in rats treated with amphetamine chronically with and without challenge

Chronic amphetamine (AMPH) treatment may cause behavioral sensitization in animals and can be used as an animal model of psychosis. The aim of the study was to check the behavioral and metabolic response in this animal model. In rats pretreated with normal saline (NS) or AMPH, with or without AMPH challenge, the [14C]deoxyglucose method was employed to check the metabolic changes in 42 regions. Behavioral testing was performed in rats with the same treatment. The results showed that after challenge with AMPH, glucose utilization was enhanced in most of the regions investigated. However, metabolic enhancement of the AMPH-pretreated group was lower in the caudate nucleus when compared with that of the NS-pretreated group though the stereotypy rating was higher in the former. Dissociation between the metabolic enhancement and behavioral response was noted. Furthermore, more significant differences between the two pretreated conditions of glucose utilization were found with challenge than without challenge. Further evaluation using procedures which include advanced techniques can be applied in further investigation.