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 language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 251-254 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Psychopharmacology |
Volume | 139 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1998 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Enkephalin
- Globus pallidus
- Heroin
- Microdialysis
- Opiates
- Ventral pallidum
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pharmacology