Abstract
The present study examines the influence of destruction of the medio-basal arcuate hypothalamus (MBH), the primary site of synthesis of central pools of β-endorphin (β-EP), upon the aversive properties of naloxone in a conditioned place preference paradigm. Bilateral radiofrequency lesions of the MBH resulted in a pronounced fall in levels of immunoreactive β-EP in the brain. Lesioned rats, in contrast to non-operated animals, showed a clear reduction in the conditioned place aversion produced by naloxone. However, they showed no loss of the conditioned preference produced by the mu-selective opioid receptor agonist, morphine, or the conditioned aversion produced by the kappaselective agonist, U50-488. In contrast to the effect of the lesions, suppression of circulating β-EP by dexamethasone treatment failed to influence conditioning produced by naloxone. Thus, the data indicate that the aversive properties of naloxone are attenuated by disruption of central (but not peripheral) β-EP activity. We suggest that these properties of naloxone reflect an antagonism of β-EP activity in the brain. In addition, the data indicate that differing mechanisms underlie the aversive actions of naloxone as compared to U50-488.
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Mucha, R.F., Millan, M.J. & Herz, A. Aversive properties of naloxone in non-dependent (naive) rats may involve blockade of central β-endorphin. Psychopharmacology 86, 281–285 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432214
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432214