Behavioral sensitization is greater after repeated versus single chronic cocaine dosing regimens.

Cocaine dosing regimens in animals are used to model behavioral and neurochemical changes in human cocaine abusers. Typically, rats are dosed for 5-14 days and assessed at some point during withdrawal. However, human cocaine bingers undergo multiple periods of several days of abuse. Here, we model the human binge pattern by giving rats two separate cocaine dosing regimens which results in greater behavioral sensitization than a single cocaine dosing regimen. This model also allows for the testing of drugs in reversal of a previously established sensitization. Multiple cocaine regimens may thus provide a better model for the human condition.