Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37994914›Full record

ArticlePsychopharmacology2025

Sex-specific effects of neuromodulatory drugs on normal and stress-induced social dominance and aggression in rats.

Sara Ishaq, Saadia Zahid, Touqeer Ahmed

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Psychopharmacology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Sara IshaqNeurobiology Laboratory, Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan.
Saadia ZahidNeurobiology Laboratory, Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan.
Touqeer AhmedNeurobiology Laboratory, Department of Healthcare Biotechnology, Atta-ur-Rahman School of Applied Biosciences, National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan. touqeer.aahmed@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0322-8169

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSocial hierarchies are important for individual's well-being, professional and domestic growth, harmony of the society, as well as survival and morbidity. Studies have revealed sexual dimorphism in the social abilities; however, data is limited on the sex-specific effects of various drugs used to treat psychiatric disorders and social deficits.

objectiveThe present study aimed at evaluating the sex-dependent effects of Risperidone (antipsychotic that targets D2 dopaminergic, 5HT

methods8-12 weeks old male and female Wistar rats were divided into sex-wise 4-4 groups, i.e., 1. control group, 2. Risperidone treated group (3 mg/kg/day), 3. Donepezil treated group (5 mg/kg/day), and Paroxetine treated group (10 mg/kg/day). Rats were treated with these drugs in phase I for 21 days in distilled drinking water, followed by a no (drugs) treatment break of 10 days. After the break phase II started with the administration of drugs (same as in phase I) along with tilt-cage stress for 21 days. Home cage activity assessment was performed once a week during both phases (I & II), while tube dominance and resident intruder tests were performed at the end of each phase.

resultsIn phase I in both sexes, Risperidone treatment decreased social interaction and motor activity while Paroxetine treatment increased these in both sexes compared to their respective control groups. Social dominance and aggression were reduced after treatment with both of these drugs. In contrast, Donepezil treatment caused an increase in motor activity in females whereas reduced motor activity in males. Furthermore, Donepezil treatment caused reduction in interaction but increased social dominance and aggression were observed in both sexes. In phase II, stress led to an overall decrease in motor activity and social interaction of animals. Treatment with Risperidone, Paroxetine, and Donepezil caused a sex-specific effect on, motor activity, social interaction, and social exploration.

conclusionThese results showed that Risperidone has stronger effects on male social behavior whereas Paroxetine and Donepezil differentially affect social abilities in both sexes during normal and stressed situations.

Indexed as

AggressionSex CharacteristicsSocial DominanceStress, PsychologicalAnimalsAntipsychotic AgentsBehavior, AnimalCholinesterase InhibitorsDonepezilFemaleIndansMaleParoxetinePiperidinesRatsRats, WistarAntipsychotic AgentsCholinesterase InhibitorsDonepezilIndansParoxetinePiperidinesRisperidoneSelective Serotonin Reuptake InhibitorsDonepezilMonoaminesParoxetineRisperidoneSocial aggressionSocial dominanceSocial hierarchyStress

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.