In laboratory rats females demonstrate higher levels of cocaine intake for longer periods of time that results in greater disruption of the diurnal pattern on intake. After 10 days of abstinence they demonstrated more motivation to take cocaine by responding at higher levels under a progressive ratio schedule. In cocaine-dependent subjects with unknown abstinence periods, females report greater cocaine-craving following cues than do males.
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Cocaine Dependent Human Females Have Increased Craving to Cues
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In addition to cocaine cues, stress also increases craving for cocaine. Stress cues increased brain activation more in females than males although with stress-induced craving, in contrast to cue-induced craving, males and females were equal in reporting cocaine craving. This is consistent with laboratory animal data indicating that stress, learned cues, and a repeat drug experience each act through different pathways to stimulate increased drug seeking or drug taking.
Stress Imagery Induces More Brain Activation in Females than Males
