Korey Crawford / Psychology / Faculty Mentor: Linda Perrotti
Sex differences and estradiol’s role in opioid withdrawal-induced anxiety remain understudied. We hypothesize that morphine withdrawal increases anxiety-like behavior, females exhibit lower anxiety than males, and high estradiol exacerbates anxiety. Long-Evans rats underwent a 10-day morphine regimen, with female estrous stages monitored through lavage. Anxiety-like behavior was assessed via the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) 24 hours post-withdrawal. Overall, females showed reduced anxiety, but those in proestrus/estrus (high estradiol) exhibited increased anxiety. Western blot analysis revealed sex-specific NMDA receptor subunit changes: females had reduced GluN2A in the ventral hippocampus, while GluN2B increased in the basolateral amygdala (females) and central amygdala (males).
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