Repeated heroin administration increases extracellular opioid peptide- like immunoreactivity in the globus pallidus/ventral pallidum of freely moving rats

M. Foster Olive, Nigel T. Maidment

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

Microdialysis was used to investigate the effects of heroin administration on extracellular opioid peptide levels in the globus pallidus/ventral pallidum of freely moving rats. Two injections of heroin (0.6 mg/kg IP) were given 3 h apart. The first injection had no significant effect on opioid peptide levels, but the second injection produced a transient yet significant increase (+268%) in opioid peptide-like immunoreactivity in pallidal dialysates, peaking 1 h after injection. This effect was blocked by administration of naloxone (3 mg/kg IP) prior to the second injection. The implications of these data are discussed with regards to the role of the endogenous opioid peptide system in opiate reward.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)251-254
Number of pages4
JournalPsychopharmacology
Volume139
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1998
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Enkephalin
  • Globus pallidus
  • Heroin
  • Microdialysis
  • Opiates
  • Ventral pallidum

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Repeated heroin administration increases extracellular opioid peptide- like immunoreactivity in the globus pallidus/ventral pallidum of freely moving rats'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this