Abstract
Sex differences are present for all of the phases of drug abuse (initiation, escalation of use, addiction, and relapse following abstinence). While there are some differences among specific classes of abused drugs, the general pattern of sex differences is the same for all drugs of abuse. Females begin regularly self-administering licit and illicit drugs of abuse at lower doses than do males, use escalates more rapidly to addiction, and females are at greater risk for relapse following abstinence. In this review, sex differences in drug abuse are discussed for humans and in animal models. The possible neuroendocrine mechanisms mediating these sex differences are discussed.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Review
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Cocaine / administration & dosage
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Cocaine / pharmacology
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Corpus Striatum / drug effects
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Disease Models, Animal
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Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
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Estradiol / physiology
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Estrogen Receptor alpha / physiology
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Estrous Cycle / drug effects
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Estrous Cycle / physiology
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Ethanol / administration & dosage
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Ethanol / pharmacology
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Models, Biological
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Narcotics / administration & dosage
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Narcotics / pharmacology
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Nicotine / administration & dosage
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Nicotine / pharmacology
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Psychomotor Performance / drug effects
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Risk Factors
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Sex Characteristics*
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Sex Chromosomes / physiology
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Substance-Related Disorders / etiology*
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Substance-Related Disorders / genetics
Substances
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Estrogen Receptor alpha
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Narcotics
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Ethanol
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Estradiol
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Nicotine
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Cocaine