Sensitization and cross-sensitization to the seizurogenic effects of
cocaine and
cocaethylene were examined in the HS strain of mice. Animals were administered IP
injections of either 48 mg/kg
cocaine or 32 mg/kg
cocaethylene once per day for 4 days. On the fifth day, mice were injected with either the same
drug that was administered on days 1-4 or the alternative psychostimulant and the occurrence of seizure activity was recorded. Repeated
cocaine administration resulted in the induction of
tonic-clonic seizures and
status epilepticus in 90% of the animals tested with
cocaine on the fifth day. A similar increase in seizure prevalence, noted as a kindling effect, was observed in
cocaethylene-treated animals tested with
cocaethylene in that 90% of the mice exhibited
status epilepticus on the last test day. Significant cross-sensitization was observed only in the group that received
cocaethylene following repeated
cocaine exposure. However, data obtained from animals injected with
cocaine following
cocaethylene treatment also were suggestive of cross-sensitization effects. Results are discussed in terms of the potential mechanistic differences between
cocaine and its
ethanol-derived product, as well as its relevance to
cocaine use/abuse.