Involvement of opioid mu 1 receptors in morphine-induced conditioned place preference in rats

Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 1997 Sep;58(1):275-9. doi: 10.1016/s0091-3057(96)00567-9.

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of mu 1-opioid receptors in morphine reward. Therefore, we studied the ability of a mu 1-selective antagonist, naloxonazine [15 mg/kg intraperitoneally (IP)], to antagonize the conditioned place preference (CPP) induced by morphine [3 mg/kg subcutaneously (SC)]. In addition, effects of naloxonazine on morphine-induced catalepsy (15 mg/kg), analgesia (3 mg/kg), and hyperthermia (3 mg/kg) were studied. For comparison, the effects of a nonselective opioid receptor antagonist, naltrexone (2.5 mg/kg SC), and a selective delta-opioid receptor antagonist, naltrindole (2 mg/kg IP), on CPP induced by morphine were investigated. Morphine-induced CPP was clearly antagonized by pretreatment with naloxonazine and naltrexone (12 h and 20 min prior to morphine, respectively) but not by naltrindole (15 min before morphine). Naloxonazine also antagonized morphine-induced catalepsy and analgesia but not morphine-induced hyperthermia. Naltrindole did not modify morphine-induced catalepsy. These results suggest an active role for mu 1-opioid receptors in morphine reward, whereas morphine-induced hyperthermia does not appear to be mediated by mu 1-opioid receptors. Furthermore, delta-opioid receptors seem to be without significance in morphine-induced reward.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Body Temperature / drug effects
  • Catalepsy / chemically induced
  • Catalepsy / physiopathology
  • Conditioning, Operant / drug effects*
  • Male
  • Morphine / pharmacology*
  • Naloxone / analogs & derivatives
  • Naloxone / pharmacology
  • Naltrexone / analogs & derivatives
  • Naltrexone / pharmacology
  • Narcotic Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Pain Measurement / drug effects
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu / drug effects
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu / physiology*

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Narcotic Antagonists
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu
  • Naloxone
  • Naltrexone
  • Morphine
  • naloxonazine
  • naltrindole