Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with cocaine, the specific dopamine uptake inhibitor GBR 12909, the dopamine D1 agonist SKF 82958 or the dopamine D2 agonist quinpirole. After treatment, the rats were placed in an activity chamber for 30 min and locomotor activity was monitored. Cocaine, GBR 12909 and SKF 82958 all increased locomotor activity in both males and females, but greater increases were observed in females. In contrast, quinpirole produced decreases in activity, with males showing greater decreases than females. Separate groups of animals were given SCH 23390 or eticlopride prior to cocaine. The D1 antagonist SCH 23390 reduced the locomotor activating effects of cocaine in both males and females, with females showing greater sensitivity to SCH 23390. The D2 antagonist eticlopride also reduced the locomotor activating effects of cocaine, with no clear differences between males and females. These results suggest that the differences between males and females in their locomotor response to cocaine can be at least partially attributed to differences in the function of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors.