Exaggerated Response to (+)Amphetamine in Geriatric Gerbils

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Abstract
Young adult (6–8 months) and old (greater than 24 months) gerbils were compared with respect to locomotor activity, body temperature and toxicity to (+)amphetamine given intraperitoneally. Old gerbils showed greater locomotor activity to 5.6 mg/kg, greater hyperthermia to 10.0 mg/kg, and lower LD50 (young adult 34.0 ± 7 mg/kg vs. old 17.6 ± 2.8 mg/kg) than young adults. These differences were not related to increased drug levels in whole blood or brain nor to diminished clearance of the drug from these sites. No age-related difference could be found in the ability to regulate body temperature in the face of extreme environmental temperatures nor could a difference be detected in the hypothermic response to the dopaminergic agonist apomorphine in doses of 5.6 mg/kg i.p.