Cocaine treatment before pregnancy differentially affects the anxiety and brain glucose metabolism of lactating rats if performed during adulthood or adolescence.

Cocaine exposure disrupts the maternal behavior of lactating rats, yet it is less known whether it alters the affective changes that accompany motherhood. As the long-term action of cocaine on anxiety varies according to the developmental stage of the individuals, this study aimed to compare the effect of a chronic treatment with cocaine to adult and adolescent non-pregnant females on their anxiety-like behavior and basal brain metabolic activity during lactation. Thus, adult and adolescent virgin rats were exposed to cocaine (0.0 or 15.0 mg/kg ip) during 10 days and were mated four days later. Anxiety behavior was evaluated on postpartum days 3-4 in the elevated plus maze test, and the basal brain glucose metabolism was determined on postpartum days 7-9 by means of [18F] fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography. Cocaine treatment during adulthood increased the anxiety-like behavior of lactating females whereas its administration during adolescence decreased it. Also, the basal glucose metabolism of the medial prefrontal cortex differed between lactating females treated with cocaine during adulthood and adolescence. These differential effects of cocaine, according to the age at which the drug was administered, support the idea that the adolescent and adult brains have a distinct susceptibility to this drug, which leads to divergent long-term changes in the neural circuits that regulate anxiety during lactation.

Sexual behaviour of the female rat during late adolescence: effect of chronic cocaine treatment.

Sexual behaviour is highly motivated and female rats begin to express it during adolescence. The circuitries implicated in the control of motivated behaviours continue to mature during adolescence and seem more sensitive to the effects of psychostimulants such as cocaine. However, a putative differential effect of this drug on the sexual behaviour of females according to age has not yet been studied. Therefore, we compared the motivational value of a male and the expression of sexual behaviour of late-adolescent and adult female rats after chronic treatment with a vehicle or 15.0 mg/kg cocaine. The strong incentive value of a male rat, in a male versus female preference test, for adolescent and adult female rats, was not affected by cocaine. During sexual interaction, adolescents were as sexually receptive as were adults; however, they expressed more runaways and social investigation. Cocaine treatment did not modify the expression of sexual behaviour in either group, but increased social investigation in adolescent rats. These results indicate that late-adolescent pro-oestrus females are highly sexually motivated and might express behaviours typical of this life period during sexual interaction. Moreover, although chronic cocaine treatment seemed to affect more adolescents, it did not alter the sexual motivation or behaviour of females.

Características de viviendas de interés prioritario y condiciones de salud de familias residentes, Medellín, 2008-2013 / Characteristics of the priority interest housing and health conditions of resident families, Medellin, 2008-2013 / Características de moradias de interés prioritario e condições de saúde de familias residentes, Medellín, 2008-2013

Objetivo: Describir las condiciones generales de las viviendas de interés prioritario (VIP) construidas entre 2008-2013 en Medellín, las características sociodemográficas y la morbilidad autoreportada de las familias que las habitan. Materiales y métodos: Estudio descriptivo, ambispectivo y transversal. Muestra representativa, proporcional y aleatoria de 380 viviendas en 13 urbanizaciones en cuatro comunas y dos corregimientos de Medellín, en 2014. Se analizaron variables sociales, económicas, demográficas, ambientales, de salud y características de las viviendas. Información primaria: encuesta y ficha de caracterización de viviendas; información secundaria: base de datos de Instituto Social de Vivienda y Hábitat de Medellín. Resultados: Se construyeron proyectos de VIP en edificios con altura entre 5-11 pisos, en comunas periféricas de la ciudad, estratos 1-2. Área entre 44,75 y 47,4 m2; 100% subsidiadas por recursos de inversión pública; 63,9% han sido mejoradas por sus habitantes; promedio dos cuartos por vivienda. De 1564 residentes, 32,5% son categoría especial (desplazados, afrodescendientes, etnias); predominó la población estudiantil 33%; 12,6% (198) registraron eventos de morbilidad autorreportada relacionada con la vivienda; de éstos, 53% fueron infección respiratoria aguda, 6,6% enfermedad diarreica aguda y 0,38% (6) accidentes en su interior. Mencionaron molestias desde que habitan la vivienda por ruido o música de vecinos 62,6%, nerviosismo-estrés 55%, problemas para dormir 32,4%, tristeza profunda 31% y desean regresar al sitio anterior 34,7%. Conclusión: Se detectó la necesidad de continuar con estudios futuros que establezcan la relación vivienda-salud.

Objectives: To describe the general conditions of Priority Interest Housing (VIP by its acronym in Spanish) built in Medellin from 2008-2013, and the sociodemographic characteristics and self-reported morbidity of the families that inhabit them. Materials and methods: Descriptive, ambispective, and transversal study. Representative proportional random sampling consisting of 380 houses from 13 residential areas located in 4 communes and in 2 of the smaller villages near the city of Medellin, in 2014. Analysis of social, economic, demographic, environmental, and health variables as well as of the characteristics of the apartments were carried out. Primary information source: survey and data sheet for the characterization of housing units. Secondary information source: database of the Social Institute for Housing and Habitat of Medellin. Results: VIP projects were constructed in 5-11 stories height buildings, in 1 and 2 social strata peripheral communes of the city. The housing units' built area ranged from 44.75 to 47.40 m2 ,and the apartments were 100% subsidized by public investment resources; 63.9% of the apartments have been improved by their inhabitants and consist of an average of 2 rooms per housing unit. Of a total of 1564 residents, 32.5% belong to a special category of the population (displaced and African descent population, and other ethnic groups). Student population was the most predominant (33%);12.6% (198 residents) registered self-reported morbidity events related to the apartment, of which 53% corresponded to acute respiratory infection, 6.6% to acute diarrheal disease, and 0.38% (6 residents) accidents within the housing units. 62.6% of the residents mentioned discomforts since they moved to the units due to noise or loud music from neighbors, 55% mentioned suffering from nervousness or stress, 32.4% reported sleeping problems, 31% mentioned profound sadness, and 34.7% wished to return to their previous housing. Conclusions: The need for further studies that help to establish the relation between housing and health was detected

Objetivo: Descrever as condições generais das moradias de interes prioritário (VIP) construídas entre 2008-2013 em Medellín, as características sociodemográficas e a morbidade auto-reportada das famílias que as moram. Materiais e métodos: Estudo descritivo, ambispectivo e transversal. Amostra representativa, proporcional e aleatória de 380 moradias em 13 urbanizações em quatro comunas e dos vilarejos de Medellín, em 2014. Analisaram se variáveis sociais, econômicas, demográficas, ambientais, de saúde e características das moradias. Informação primaria: enquete e ficha de caracterização de moradias; informação secundaria: base de dados de Instituto Social de moradia e Hábitat de Medellín. Resultados: Construíram se projetos de VIP em edifícios com altura entre 5-11 andares, em comunas periféricas da cidade, estratos 1-2. Área entre 44,75 e 47,4 m2 ; 100% subsidiadas por recursos de inversão pública; 63,9% Têm sido melhoradas por seus habitantes; a média é dos quartos por moradia. De 1564 residentes, 32,5% é categoria especial (deslocados, afro descendentes, etnias); predominou a povoação estudantil 33%; 12,6% (198) registraram eventos de morbidez auto-reportada relacionada com a moradia; destes, 53% foram infecção respiratória aguda, 6,6% doença diarréica aguda e 0,38% (6) acidentes em seu interior. Mencionou moléstias desde que mora na moradia por barulho a música de vizinhos 62,6%, nervosismo - estresse 55%, problemas para dormir 32,4%, tristeza profunda 31% e desejam regressar ao sitio anterior 34,7%. Conclusão: Se detectou a necessidade de continuar com estudos futuros que estabeleçam a relação moradia-saúde.