Sex-dependent Effects of the Drugs of Abuse Amphetamine and the Smart Drug 3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone on Fear Memory Generalization in Rats

Riccardi, Eleonora; Blasi, Eleonora; Zwergel, Clemens; Mai, Antonello; Morena, Maria; Campolongo, Patrizia

doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.12.027

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…The percentage of males showing 22 kHz USVs during fear conditioning is similar to what is seen in other reports 95,97,98 . We and others have previously seen females emit very few 22 kHz USVs, 43,99 and this sexual dimorphism in 22 kHz calls during fear acquisition has been observed by others 97,98,100–103 . These sex differences in 22 kHz USVs, however, are dependent upon the strain of rats, and female Long Evans rats were seen to have longer total duration of 22 kHz USVs than males during fear conditioning but not contextual or cued fear recall 104 .…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…[89][90][91][92][93][94] 95,97,98 We and others have previously seen females emit very few 22 kHz USVs, 43,99 and this sexual dimorphism in 22 kHz calls during fear acquisition has been observed by others. 97,98,[100][101][102][103] These sex differences in 22 kHz USVs, however, are dependent upon the strain of rats, and female Long Evans rats were seen to have longer total duration of 22 kHz USVs than males during fear conditioning but not contextual or cued fear recall. 104 Males also show more 22 kHz vocalizations (longer total duration) than females in response to other stimuli including airpuff.…”

Section: Sex Differences In Ultrasonic Vocalizationsmentioning

confidence: 95%

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ChAT::Cre transgenic rats show sex‐dependent altered fear behaviors, ultrasonic vocalizations and cholinergic marker expression

Tryon

Kaigler

Gee

et al. 2023

Genes Brain and Behavior

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The cholinergic system is a critical regulator of Pavlovian fear learning and extinction. As such, we have begun investigating the cholinergic system's involvement in individual differences in cued fear extinction using a transgenic ChAT::Cre rat model. The current study extends behavioral phenotyping of a transgenic ChAT::Cre rat line by examining both freezing behavior and ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) during a Pavlovian cued fear learning and extinction paradigm. Freezing, 22 kHz USVs, and 50 kHz USVs were compared between male and female transgenic ChAT::Cre+ rats and their wildtype (Cre‐) littermates during fear learning, contextual and cue‐conditioned fear recall, cued fear extinction, and generalization to a novel tone. During contextual and cued fear recall ChAT::Cre+ rats froze slightly more than their Cre‐ littermates, and displayed significant sex differences in contextual and cue‐conditioned freezing, 22 kHz USVs, and 50 kHz USVs. Females showed more freezing than males in fear recall trials, but fewer 22 kHz distress calls during fear learning and recall. Females also produced more 50 kHz USVs during exposure to the testing chambers prior to tone (or shock) presentation compared with males, but this effect was blunted in ChAT::Cre+ females. Corroborating previous studies, ChAT::Cre+ transgenic rats overexpressed vesicular acetylcholine transporter immunolabeling in basal forebrain, striatum, basolateral amygdala, and hippocampus, but had similar levels of acetylcholinesterase and numbers of ChAT+ neurons as Cre‐ rats. This study suggests that variance in behavior between ChAT::Cre+ and wildtype rats is sex dependent and advances theories that distinct neural circuits and processes regulate sexually divergent fear responses.

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