Effects of voluntary exercise and sex on multiply-triggered heroin reinstatement in male and female rats

ConclusionsWheel running reduced heroin-seeking in male and female rats, with females showing a more robust effect during reinstatement. The locked wheel group allowed an examination of sex differences in heroin reinstatement, which revealed that females showed greater vulnerability to heroin reinstatement than males, but with no other sex differences observed in maintenance or extinction. Overall, the results indicate that voluntary physical exercise may be an effective treatment for heroin dependence in humans.
Source: Psychopharmacology - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research