Effects of lesions of the Locus coeruleus and the ventral noradrenergic bundle on the antinociceptive action of clonidine in rats.
Effects of electrolytic lesions of noradrenergic brain systems on clonidine-induced analgesia were tested in rats by tail-compression method. Bilateral lesions of the locus coereleus decreased clonidine analgesia whilst lesions involving the ventral noradrenergic bundle produced no significant effect. These data demonstrate that antinociceptive effect of clonidine is related to action upon the noradrenergic system of the locus coeruleus.
D000700:Analgesics; D000818:Animals; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000032:analysis / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D013681:Tegmentum Mesencephali / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014828:Vocalization, Animal / Q000187:drug effects
D000700:Analgesics; D003000:Clonidine; D009638:Norepinephrine