There is considerable evidence for a co-morbid relationship between cocaine abuse and risky sexual behavior. Clinical studies have shown a correlation between cocaine use and risky sexual practices such as increased frequency, an increased number of partners, and unprotected sex. These sexual practices have been linked to adverse health consequences including high prevalence rates for sexually-transmitted diseases. Controlled preclinical studies that utilize animal models have demonstrated that prior repeated exposure to cocaine enhances sexual motivation and behavior. However, no parametric or systematic studies further investigating the basic mechanisms underlying this relationship have been conducted. The goal of the proposed experiments is to utilize an animal model whose sexual behavior system has been well-studied, Japanese quail. In addition to the benefits of using quail to study sexual behavior, the use of a visually-oriented species in studying drug effects may be of additional relevance to studying human drug addiction. We currently have preliminary evidence in male Japanese quail that preexposure to cocaine enhances sexual motivation. This finding ties in well with clinical observations that indicate that cocaine use in humans may increase sexual motivation, thereby increasing the likelihood of the occurrence of high-risk sexual behavior. The overall working hypothesis of this proposal is that the magnitude of the sexual response depends on several cocaine preexposure parameters including dose, amount of exposure, time between exposures, and the withdrawal period before sexual behavior testing. Additionally, we hypothesize that cocaine preexposure increases the resistance to extinction (harder to eliminate) and facilitates the reacquisition of a sexual response that has been extinguished. The proposed research has the potential to contribute to our understanding of cocaine preexposure effects on sexual motivation using a visually-oriented animal model. For example, in males, sexual motivation may be enhanced by prior cocaine exposure. Such an enhancement might translate in humans as high risk or compulsive sexual behaviors such as increased frequency of sexual activity, sex with multiple partners, and unprotected sex. These risky sexual behaviors have been linked with considerable health consequences, such as the transmission of HIV and hepatitis C. The goal of the proposed project is to contribute to understanding underlying mechanisms of cocaine's effects on sexual motivation.

Public Health Relevance

Clinical studies have shown a correlation between cocaine use and risky sexual practices such as increased frequency, an increased number of partners, and unprotected sex. These sexual practices have been linked to adverse health consequences including high prevalence rates for sexually-transmitted diseases. The current application is a preclinical model used to investigate how drugs of abuse alter sexual motivation.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01DA022451-03
Application #
8214606
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-BBBP-T (03))
Program Officer
Wetherington, Cora Lee
Project Start
2010-02-01
Project End
2015-01-31
Budget Start
2012-02-01
Budget End
2013-01-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2012
Total Cost
$175,211
Indirect Cost
$53,961
Name
University of Kentucky
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
939017877
City
Lexington
State
KY
Country
United States
Zip Code
40506
Gill, Karin E; Reynolds, Anna R; Prendergast, Mark A et al. (2016) Female Japanese quail with high levels of estradiol demonstrate cocaine-induced conditioned place preference. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 24:185-92
Gill, Karin E; Rice, Beth Ann; Akins, Chana K (2015) Cocaine induces state-dependent learning of sexual conditioning in male Japanese quail. Physiol Behav 138:150-3
Gill, Karin E; Madison, Farrah N; Akins, Chana K (2015) Cocaine-induced sensitization correlates with testosterone in male Japanese quail but not with estradiol in female Japanese quail. Horm Behav 67:21-7
Levi Bolin, B; Singleton, Destiny L; Akins, Chana K (2014) Pavlovian discriminative stimulus effects of methamphetamine in male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). J Exp Anal Behav 102:126-38
Bolin, B Levi; Akins, Chana K (2012) Chronic pre-exposure to methamphetamine following 31 days of withdrawal impairs sexual performance but not sexual conditioning in male Japanese quail. Behav Processes 91:177-83
Bolin, B Levi; Cornett, Heather L; Barnes, Amanda F et al. (2012) Nicotine induces a conditioned place preference in male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Physiol Behav 107:364-7