(590.6) Nandrolone Use During Adolescence Increases Cocaine Sensitization And Impairs Reproductive Function In Adult Female Rats

Poster Board Number: E374

Carlos Rivero (UPR Medical Sciences Campus), Jaime Freire (UPR Medical Sciences Campus), Paula Siaca (UPR Rio Piedras Campus), Ivan Santiago (Case Western Reserve University), Annabell Segarra (UPR Medical Sciences Campus)

Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are drugs that mimic the chemical structure of testosterone. The most commonly used AAS by young adults is nandrolone. Use of AAS has been associated with increased risk of steroid dependence, mood disorders and polysubstance use. Indeed, cocaine use among AAS users is approximately 33% compared to 4.9% in the rest of the population. The effect of nandrolone (ND) use during adolescence on female motivational behaviors and on the reproductive system has not been investigated. Adolescent female rats were divided into two groups, one that received nandrolone decanoate (20mg/kg/sc) and another that received sesame oil (vehicle) for 10 successive days starting on day 28. On day 38 rats were tested on an Open Field and on day 39 in an Elevated Plus Maze. On day 40, the rats were then divided into 2 additional groups for a total of 4 groups: Oil-Saline, ND-Saline, Oil-Cocaine and ND-Cocaine and tested for locomotor sensitization to cocaine. From days 40-44 and at days 52 and 62 rats received an injection of cocaine (15 mg/kg/ip) or saline. Their locomotor response to cocaine was measured at days 40, 44, 52 and 62. Our data show that nandrolone treated rats spent more time in the center of the open field, have no preference between open and closed arms of the plus maze and show augmented locomotor response to cocaine on days 5 and 13 compared to oil treated rats. This suggests that nandrolone increases risk taking behavior and the psychoactive properties of cocaine while having no effect on anxiety. In addition, nandrolone reduced ovarian weight and increased the formation of ovarian cysts. In contrast, in the uterus, it increased uterine weight and hindered endometrial growth. These data show that exposure to supra-physiological levels of androgens during adolescence induces neurochemical changes in brain circuitry that regulate emotions and increases the psychoactive properties of cocaine. Nandrolone also severely impairs reproductive function, inducing formation of ovarian cysts and altering uterine morphology, an effect that is exacerbated when paired with cocaine.

Financial assistance was provided by the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) of NSF through the Partnerships for Research and Education (PIRE) Program (OISE-#1545803).