Differential sensitization to amphetamine and stress responsivity as a function of inherent laterality.

With repeated administrations, rodents become increasingly sensitive to the stimulant properties of amphetamine, a phenomenon termed sensitization. Rats differentiated on the basis of their preferred direction of rotation following peripheral administration of amphetamine were found to differ in their sensitization to amphetamine in two different behavioral paradigms. Rats which displayed leftward rotational biases developed greater sensitization and greater hormonal response to stress following sensitization.