Georgina Renard - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Georgina Renard

Frontiers in pharmacology, Apr 25, 2024

Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry, Jul 1, 2024

IBRO Neuroscience Reports

Journal of Neuroendocrinology

Environmental enrichment is a widely used experimental manipulation that physically, cognitively ... more Environmental enrichment is a widely used experimental manipulation that physically, cognitively and socially stimulates individuals. It has a great variety of long‐term effects at neuroanatomical, neurochemical, and behavioral level; however, the influence of parental environmental enrichment during gestation and pregestation on the development of the offspring and on the mother's behavior has been poorly explored. This article presents a review of the literature from the year 2000 about the effects of maternal and paternal environmental enrichment on the behavioral, endocrine, and neural systems of offspring and parents. Relevant research terms were searched for on the biomedical databases, PubMed, Medline, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The data suggest that paternal/maternal environmental enrichment can profoundly affect the developmental trajectories of offspring through putative epigenetic mechanisms. Environmental enrichment presents as a promising therapeutic tool fo...

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Early life exposure to sex hormones affects several brain areas involved in regulating locomotor ... more Early life exposure to sex hormones affects several brain areas involved in regulating locomotor and motivation behaviors. Our group has shown that neonatal exposure to testosterone propionate (TP) or estradiol valerate (EV) affected the brain dopamine (DA) system in adulthood. Here, we studied the long-lasting effects of neonatal exposure to sex hormones on behavioral and neurochemical responses to amphetamine (AMPH) and methylphenidate (MPD). Our results show that AMPH-induced locomotor activity was higher in female than male control rats. The conditioned place preference (CPP) to AMPH was only observed in EV male rats. In EV female rats, AMPH did not increase locomotor activity, but MPD-induced CPP was observed in control, EV and TP female rats. Using in vivo brain microdialysis, we observed that AMPH-induced extracellular DA levels were lower in nucleus accumbens (NAcc) of EV and TP female rats than control rats. In addition, MPD did not increase NAcc extracellular DA levels in ...

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

The misuse of psychostimulants is an increasing behavior among young people, highlighting in some... more The misuse of psychostimulants is an increasing behavior among young people, highlighting in some countries the abuse of modafinil (MOD) as a neuropotentiator. However, several clinical trials are investigating MOD as an alternative pharmacological treatment for attentional deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. On the other hand, the early use of psychostimulants and the misdiagnosis rates in ADHD make it crucial to investigate the brain effects of this type of drug in young healthy individuals. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of chronic MOD treatment on neurochemicals (γ-aminobutyric acid and glutamate), dopamine receptor 2 (D2) expression and behavior (non-selective attention “NSA”) in the mesocorticolimbic system of young healthy Sprague–Dawley rats. Preadolescent male rats were injected with MOD (75 mg/kg, i.p.) or a vehicle for 14 days (from postnatal day 22 to 35). At postnatal day 36, we measured the GLU and GABA contents and ...

Neuropharmacology, 2021

Editor-I was pleased to see an article on the subject of herbal medicines in the perioperative pe... more Editor-I was pleased to see an article on the subject of herbal medicines in the perioperative period relevant to anaesthetic practice. 1 Over-the-counter use of herbal medicine is widespread, and as the authors mention, patients are often reluctant to mention their use to medical practitioners. There are several claims made to specific plant medicines that are not substantiated with relevant data or references. These include outlines of potential adverse effects, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. The authors state that the chronic use of Echinacea can result in hepatic failure, which can then potentiate the effects of other hepatotoxic drugs. This is based on the fact that phytochemical analysis of Echinacea spp. has shown traces of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. These substances have been implicated in potential hepatotoxicity in other species such as Senecio spp. and Symphytum spp. Not all pyrrolizidine alkaloids are hepatotoxic. Those present in Echinacea spp. lack the chemical structure required for said hepatotoxicity. 2 Moreover, despite the widespread use of this plant medicine, there are no reports of a significant incidence of Echinacea-associated hepatotoxicity. There is also an oft-repeated statement that Echinacea is a potent immunosuppressant in the long term. This statement derives from conclusions made from an old study of the effects of Echinacea purpurea on granulocyte phagocytosis stimulation. If anything, the study shows that Echinacea enhances phagocytosis relative to control after 5 days administration, and that this effect returns nearer control levels after a few days of discontinuing the oral dose. Unfortunately, the drop in effect was interpreted as an immunosuppressant effect and this myth has persisted. 3,4

European Journal of Pharmacology, 2021

Steroid sex hormones produce physiological effects in reproductive and non-reproductive tissues, ... more Steroid sex hormones produce physiological effects in reproductive and non-reproductive tissues, such as the brain. In the brain, sex hormones receptors are expressed in cortical, limbic and midbrain areas modulating memory, arousal, fear and motivation between other behaviors. One neurotransmitters system regulated by sex hormones is dopamine (DA), where during adulthood, sex hormones promote neurophysiological and behavioral effects on DA systems such as tuberoinfundibular (prolactin secretion), nigrostriatal (motor circuit regulation) and mesocorticolimbic (driving of motivated behavior). However, the long-term effects induced by neonatal exposure to sex hormones on DA release induced by D1 receptor activation and its expression in nucleus accumbens (NAcc) have not been fully studied. To answer this question, neurochemical, cellular and molecular techniques were used. The data show sex differences in NAcc DA extracellular levels induced by D1 receptor activation and protein content of this receptor in male and female control rats. In addition, neonatal programming with a single dose of TP increases the NAcc protein content of D1 receptors of adult male and female rats. Our results show new evidence related with sex differences that could explain the dependence to drug of abuse in males and females, which may be associated with increased reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021

Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) are hypothalamic neuropeptides classically associated with th... more Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) are hypothalamic neuropeptides classically associated with their regulatory role in reproduction, water homeostasis, and social behaviors. Interestingly, this role has expanded in recent years and has positioned these neuropeptides as therapeutic targets for various neuropsychiatric diseases such as autism, addiction, schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety disorders. Due to the chemical-physical characteristics of these neuropeptides including short half-life, poor blood-brain barrier penetration, promiscuity for AVP and OT receptors (AVP-R, OT-R), novel ligands have been developed in recent decades. This review summarizes the role of OT and AVP in neuropsychiatric conditions, as well as the findings of different OT-R and AVP-R agonists and antagonists, used both at the preclinical and clinical level. Furthermore, we discuss their possible therapeutic potential for central nervous system (CNS) disorders.

Addiction Biology, 2019

The lateral septum (LS) is a limbic nucleus interconnected with several brain areas involved in t... more The lateral septum (LS) is a limbic nucleus interconnected with several brain areas involved in the regulation of mood and reward. Vasopressin (AVP) is a neuropeptide that has been related to the effects of drugs of abuse, but its role in the addictive process is poorly understood. LS expresses a high density of AVP 1A receptors (V1A). The aim of this work was to examine whether the modulation of LS AVP system affects the behavioral and neurochemical responses to amphetamine (AMPH) in male rats. Our results show that AMPH‐induced conditioned place preference (CPP) produces a decrease in LS AVP content. Besides, we demonstrate that the microinjection of AVP in the LS impairs the expression of AMPH‐induced CPP and that this effect is mediated by the activation of the V1A receptor in the LS. AVP microinjection in the LS elicited a decrease in neuronal activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) in animals subjected to AMPH conditioning. Finally, AVP microinjection in the LS decreased dopam...

Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 2018

Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease characterised by a compulsion to seek drugs, a loss of ... more Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease characterised by a compulsion to seek drugs, a loss of control with respect to drug consumption and negative emotional states, including increased anxiety and irritability during withdrawal. Central vasopressin (AVP) and its receptors are involved in controlling social behaviour, anxiety and reward, all of which are altered by drugs of abuse. Hypothalamic AVP neurones influence the stress response by modulating the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis. The extrahypothalamic AVP system, however, is commonly associated with social recognition, motivational and anxiety responses. The specific relationship between AVP and drugs of abuse has been rarely reviewed. Here, we provide an overview of the interaction between the brain AVP system and psychostimulants and alcohol. We focus on the effects of alcohol and psychostimulants on AVP regulation of the HPA axis, their effect on the brain AVP system and their behavioural implications, the infl...

Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2019

Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 2017

Physiology & Behavior, 2005

In this study we tested whether periodic maternal deprivation (MD) (4.5 h daily during the first ... more In this study we tested whether periodic maternal deprivation (MD) (4.5 h daily during the first 3 weeks of life) caused chronic changes in anxiety and medullo-adrenal responses to chronic stress in either male or female adult (2.5 months of age) rats, or both. Repeated maternal deprivation had a sex-specific effect on epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) levels: an increase in both measures was observed only in females. Unpredictable stress did not produce changes on plasma catecholamine levels either in males or females. However, when the females were maternally deprived as well as stressed they showed an increase in plasma NE p < 0.05. On the other hand, non-maternally deprived (NMD), maternally-deprived and stressed males showed high levels of catecholamines compared to females p < 0.001. In the elevated plus maze test, MD-treated males displayed a slight increase in anxiety-related behavior compared with NMD rats. This was indicated by a reduction in the time spent on the open arms, whereas females showed less anxiety, indicated by an increase in the number of entries, and in the time spent on the open arms. After exposure to chronic stress only the females displayed decreased anxiety-related behavior. These results suggest that there are sex-induced effects in emotional reactivity, perception of the stressor and in the evaluation of novel situations. Thus, maternal deprivation and chronic variable stress caused both long-term alterations in sympathetic response and gender-dependent changes in the anxiety index of adult rats.

Neural Plasticity, 2016

We sought to determine the long-term changes produced by neonatal sex hormone administration on t... more We sought to determine the long-term changes produced by neonatal sex hormone administration on the functioning of midbrain dopaminergic neurons in adult male rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were injected subcutaneously at postnatal day 1 and were assigned to the following experimental groups: TP (testosterone propionate of 1.0 mg/50 μL); DHT (dihydrotestosterone of 1.0 mg/50 μL); EV (estradiol valerate of 0.1 mg/50 μL); and control (sesame oil of 50 μL). At postnatal day 60, neurochemical studies were performed to determine dopamine content in substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area and dopamine release in nucleus accumbens. Molecular (mRNA expression of tyrosine hydroxylase) and cellular (tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity) studies were also performed. We found increased dopamine content in substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area of TP and EV rats, in addition to increased dopamine release in nucleus accumbens. However, neonatal exposure to DHT, a nonaromatizable androgen, did not af...

Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease characterized by compulsive drug use, loss of control o... more Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease characterized by compulsive drug use, loss of control over its consumption, and emergence of a negative emotional state (dysphoria, anxiety, irritability) that is exacerbated during withdrawal (Koob & Le Moal 1997). Only in recent years, sex differences in addictive behavior have been emphasized. Thus, one important question in addiction research is determining sex differences in vulnerability to drug addiction and the effect of drugs on the reward circuit. Conditioned place preference paradigm is a behavioral test widely used to measure the reward effect of drugs of abuse.

Drug addiction is a complex disorder characterized by compulsive drug use and it has been suggest... more Drug addiction is a complex disorder characterized by compulsive drug use and it has been suggested that women are more susceptible to the effects of drugs than men (Bobzean et al. 2014, Brady & Randall 1999). Vasopressin (AVP) projections from the extended amygdala to the lateral septum (LS), Known to be implicated in the addiction process. These projections are sexually dimorphic and it has been observed that regulate some behaviors altered by drug addiction. Locomotor sensitization is the progressive increase in a locomotor response to repeated administration of psychostimulants (Mathews & McCormick 2007). This model can predict the addictive potential of a drug and it has been associated with some molecular neuroadaptations (Pierce & Kalivas 1997).

Pharmacological Research, 2015

Pharmacological Research, 2015

Pharmacology in Chile has about 75 years of history and from its beginning until today has grown ... more Pharmacology in Chile has about 75 years of history and from its beginning until today has grown exponentially. Today, pharmacology is taught in the biomedical careers of the main Chilean universities and research centers in pharmacology are in the north, central and south of Chile. This editorial offers an overview of the main milestones that have led to the consolidation of Chilean pharmacology in Latin America and the world.

Frontiers in pharmacology, Apr 25, 2024

Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry, Jul 1, 2024

IBRO Neuroscience Reports

Journal of Neuroendocrinology

Environmental enrichment is a widely used experimental manipulation that physically, cognitively ... more Environmental enrichment is a widely used experimental manipulation that physically, cognitively and socially stimulates individuals. It has a great variety of long‐term effects at neuroanatomical, neurochemical, and behavioral level; however, the influence of parental environmental enrichment during gestation and pregestation on the development of the offspring and on the mother's behavior has been poorly explored. This article presents a review of the literature from the year 2000 about the effects of maternal and paternal environmental enrichment on the behavioral, endocrine, and neural systems of offspring and parents. Relevant research terms were searched for on the biomedical databases, PubMed, Medline, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. The data suggest that paternal/maternal environmental enrichment can profoundly affect the developmental trajectories of offspring through putative epigenetic mechanisms. Environmental enrichment presents as a promising therapeutic tool fo...

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Early life exposure to sex hormones affects several brain areas involved in regulating locomotor ... more Early life exposure to sex hormones affects several brain areas involved in regulating locomotor and motivation behaviors. Our group has shown that neonatal exposure to testosterone propionate (TP) or estradiol valerate (EV) affected the brain dopamine (DA) system in adulthood. Here, we studied the long-lasting effects of neonatal exposure to sex hormones on behavioral and neurochemical responses to amphetamine (AMPH) and methylphenidate (MPD). Our results show that AMPH-induced locomotor activity was higher in female than male control rats. The conditioned place preference (CPP) to AMPH was only observed in EV male rats. In EV female rats, AMPH did not increase locomotor activity, but MPD-induced CPP was observed in control, EV and TP female rats. Using in vivo brain microdialysis, we observed that AMPH-induced extracellular DA levels were lower in nucleus accumbens (NAcc) of EV and TP female rats than control rats. In addition, MPD did not increase NAcc extracellular DA levels in ...

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

The misuse of psychostimulants is an increasing behavior among young people, highlighting in some... more The misuse of psychostimulants is an increasing behavior among young people, highlighting in some countries the abuse of modafinil (MOD) as a neuropotentiator. However, several clinical trials are investigating MOD as an alternative pharmacological treatment for attentional deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and adolescents. On the other hand, the early use of psychostimulants and the misdiagnosis rates in ADHD make it crucial to investigate the brain effects of this type of drug in young healthy individuals. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of chronic MOD treatment on neurochemicals (γ-aminobutyric acid and glutamate), dopamine receptor 2 (D2) expression and behavior (non-selective attention “NSA”) in the mesocorticolimbic system of young healthy Sprague–Dawley rats. Preadolescent male rats were injected with MOD (75 mg/kg, i.p.) or a vehicle for 14 days (from postnatal day 22 to 35). At postnatal day 36, we measured the GLU and GABA contents and ...

Neuropharmacology, 2021

Editor-I was pleased to see an article on the subject of herbal medicines in the perioperative pe... more Editor-I was pleased to see an article on the subject of herbal medicines in the perioperative period relevant to anaesthetic practice. 1 Over-the-counter use of herbal medicine is widespread, and as the authors mention, patients are often reluctant to mention their use to medical practitioners. There are several claims made to specific plant medicines that are not substantiated with relevant data or references. These include outlines of potential adverse effects, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics. The authors state that the chronic use of Echinacea can result in hepatic failure, which can then potentiate the effects of other hepatotoxic drugs. This is based on the fact that phytochemical analysis of Echinacea spp. has shown traces of pyrrolizidine alkaloids. These substances have been implicated in potential hepatotoxicity in other species such as Senecio spp. and Symphytum spp. Not all pyrrolizidine alkaloids are hepatotoxic. Those present in Echinacea spp. lack the chemical structure required for said hepatotoxicity. 2 Moreover, despite the widespread use of this plant medicine, there are no reports of a significant incidence of Echinacea-associated hepatotoxicity. There is also an oft-repeated statement that Echinacea is a potent immunosuppressant in the long term. This statement derives from conclusions made from an old study of the effects of Echinacea purpurea on granulocyte phagocytosis stimulation. If anything, the study shows that Echinacea enhances phagocytosis relative to control after 5 days administration, and that this effect returns nearer control levels after a few days of discontinuing the oral dose. Unfortunately, the drop in effect was interpreted as an immunosuppressant effect and this myth has persisted. 3,4

European Journal of Pharmacology, 2021

Steroid sex hormones produce physiological effects in reproductive and non-reproductive tissues, ... more Steroid sex hormones produce physiological effects in reproductive and non-reproductive tissues, such as the brain. In the brain, sex hormones receptors are expressed in cortical, limbic and midbrain areas modulating memory, arousal, fear and motivation between other behaviors. One neurotransmitters system regulated by sex hormones is dopamine (DA), where during adulthood, sex hormones promote neurophysiological and behavioral effects on DA systems such as tuberoinfundibular (prolactin secretion), nigrostriatal (motor circuit regulation) and mesocorticolimbic (driving of motivated behavior). However, the long-term effects induced by neonatal exposure to sex hormones on DA release induced by D1 receptor activation and its expression in nucleus accumbens (NAcc) have not been fully studied. To answer this question, neurochemical, cellular and molecular techniques were used. The data show sex differences in NAcc DA extracellular levels induced by D1 receptor activation and protein content of this receptor in male and female control rats. In addition, neonatal programming with a single dose of TP increases the NAcc protein content of D1 receptors of adult male and female rats. Our results show new evidence related with sex differences that could explain the dependence to drug of abuse in males and females, which may be associated with increased reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021

Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) are hypothalamic neuropeptides classically associated with th... more Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) are hypothalamic neuropeptides classically associated with their regulatory role in reproduction, water homeostasis, and social behaviors. Interestingly, this role has expanded in recent years and has positioned these neuropeptides as therapeutic targets for various neuropsychiatric diseases such as autism, addiction, schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety disorders. Due to the chemical-physical characteristics of these neuropeptides including short half-life, poor blood-brain barrier penetration, promiscuity for AVP and OT receptors (AVP-R, OT-R), novel ligands have been developed in recent decades. This review summarizes the role of OT and AVP in neuropsychiatric conditions, as well as the findings of different OT-R and AVP-R agonists and antagonists, used both at the preclinical and clinical level. Furthermore, we discuss their possible therapeutic potential for central nervous system (CNS) disorders.

Addiction Biology, 2019

The lateral septum (LS) is a limbic nucleus interconnected with several brain areas involved in t... more The lateral septum (LS) is a limbic nucleus interconnected with several brain areas involved in the regulation of mood and reward. Vasopressin (AVP) is a neuropeptide that has been related to the effects of drugs of abuse, but its role in the addictive process is poorly understood. LS expresses a high density of AVP 1A receptors (V1A). The aim of this work was to examine whether the modulation of LS AVP system affects the behavioral and neurochemical responses to amphetamine (AMPH) in male rats. Our results show that AMPH‐induced conditioned place preference (CPP) produces a decrease in LS AVP content. Besides, we demonstrate that the microinjection of AVP in the LS impairs the expression of AMPH‐induced CPP and that this effect is mediated by the activation of the V1A receptor in the LS. AVP microinjection in the LS elicited a decrease in neuronal activity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) in animals subjected to AMPH conditioning. Finally, AVP microinjection in the LS decreased dopam...

Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 2018

Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease characterised by a compulsion to seek drugs, a loss of ... more Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease characterised by a compulsion to seek drugs, a loss of control with respect to drug consumption and negative emotional states, including increased anxiety and irritability during withdrawal. Central vasopressin (AVP) and its receptors are involved in controlling social behaviour, anxiety and reward, all of which are altered by drugs of abuse. Hypothalamic AVP neurones influence the stress response by modulating the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis. The extrahypothalamic AVP system, however, is commonly associated with social recognition, motivational and anxiety responses. The specific relationship between AVP and drugs of abuse has been rarely reviewed. Here, we provide an overview of the interaction between the brain AVP system and psychostimulants and alcohol. We focus on the effects of alcohol and psychostimulants on AVP regulation of the HPA axis, their effect on the brain AVP system and their behavioural implications, the infl...

Frontiers in Pharmacology, 2019

Journal of Neuroendocrinology, 2017

Physiology & Behavior, 2005

In this study we tested whether periodic maternal deprivation (MD) (4.5 h daily during the first ... more In this study we tested whether periodic maternal deprivation (MD) (4.5 h daily during the first 3 weeks of life) caused chronic changes in anxiety and medullo-adrenal responses to chronic stress in either male or female adult (2.5 months of age) rats, or both. Repeated maternal deprivation had a sex-specific effect on epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) levels: an increase in both measures was observed only in females. Unpredictable stress did not produce changes on plasma catecholamine levels either in males or females. However, when the females were maternally deprived as well as stressed they showed an increase in plasma NE p < 0.05. On the other hand, non-maternally deprived (NMD), maternally-deprived and stressed males showed high levels of catecholamines compared to females p < 0.001. In the elevated plus maze test, MD-treated males displayed a slight increase in anxiety-related behavior compared with NMD rats. This was indicated by a reduction in the time spent on the open arms, whereas females showed less anxiety, indicated by an increase in the number of entries, and in the time spent on the open arms. After exposure to chronic stress only the females displayed decreased anxiety-related behavior. These results suggest that there are sex-induced effects in emotional reactivity, perception of the stressor and in the evaluation of novel situations. Thus, maternal deprivation and chronic variable stress caused both long-term alterations in sympathetic response and gender-dependent changes in the anxiety index of adult rats.

Neural Plasticity, 2016

We sought to determine the long-term changes produced by neonatal sex hormone administration on t... more We sought to determine the long-term changes produced by neonatal sex hormone administration on the functioning of midbrain dopaminergic neurons in adult male rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were injected subcutaneously at postnatal day 1 and were assigned to the following experimental groups: TP (testosterone propionate of 1.0 mg/50 μL); DHT (dihydrotestosterone of 1.0 mg/50 μL); EV (estradiol valerate of 0.1 mg/50 μL); and control (sesame oil of 50 μL). At postnatal day 60, neurochemical studies were performed to determine dopamine content in substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area and dopamine release in nucleus accumbens. Molecular (mRNA expression of tyrosine hydroxylase) and cellular (tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity) studies were also performed. We found increased dopamine content in substantia nigra-ventral tegmental area of TP and EV rats, in addition to increased dopamine release in nucleus accumbens. However, neonatal exposure to DHT, a nonaromatizable androgen, did not af...

Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease characterized by compulsive drug use, loss of control o... more Drug addiction is a chronic brain disease characterized by compulsive drug use, loss of control over its consumption, and emergence of a negative emotional state (dysphoria, anxiety, irritability) that is exacerbated during withdrawal (Koob & Le Moal 1997). Only in recent years, sex differences in addictive behavior have been emphasized. Thus, one important question in addiction research is determining sex differences in vulnerability to drug addiction and the effect of drugs on the reward circuit. Conditioned place preference paradigm is a behavioral test widely used to measure the reward effect of drugs of abuse.

Drug addiction is a complex disorder characterized by compulsive drug use and it has been suggest... more Drug addiction is a complex disorder characterized by compulsive drug use and it has been suggested that women are more susceptible to the effects of drugs than men (Bobzean et al. 2014, Brady & Randall 1999). Vasopressin (AVP) projections from the extended amygdala to the lateral septum (LS), Known to be implicated in the addiction process. These projections are sexually dimorphic and it has been observed that regulate some behaviors altered by drug addiction. Locomotor sensitization is the progressive increase in a locomotor response to repeated administration of psychostimulants (Mathews & McCormick 2007). This model can predict the addictive potential of a drug and it has been associated with some molecular neuroadaptations (Pierce & Kalivas 1997).

Pharmacological Research, 2015

Pharmacological Research, 2015

Pharmacology in Chile has about 75 years of history and from its beginning until today has grown ... more Pharmacology in Chile has about 75 years of history and from its beginning until today has grown exponentially. Today, pharmacology is taught in the biomedical careers of the main Chilean universities and research centers in pharmacology are in the north, central and south of Chile. This editorial offers an overview of the main milestones that have led to the consolidation of Chilean pharmacology in Latin America and the world.