title: Specific action of narcotics on reflex activation of rat alpha-motoneurones.
abstract: Specific effects of narcotics (opiates) were studied on rat extensor alpha-motoneurones. The animals were anaesthetized with halothane, artificially ventilated and immobilized with N,N'-diallyl nortoxiferinium-HCl. The alpha-motoneurones were activated by tetanic stimulation of the cut ipsilateral gastrocnemius-soleus (GS) nerve. Morphine (2 and 4 mg/kg) administered intravenously, significantly increased the frequency of reflex discharges. In most of the neurones tested, naloxone (0.25 mg/kg) given intravenously, abolished the effect of morphine. In some neurones, however, naloxone induced a further activation. The dose of naloxone employed was ineffective when given alone. The effect of morphine was mimicked by an intravenous injection of levorphanol (1 mg/kg), but not by an equimolar dose of the stereoisomer dextrorphan, which suggests that the activating effect on alpha-motoneurones is a specific one. An intraperitoneal injection of apomorphine (1 mg/kg) reduced the effect of morphine. The effect of narcotics on alpha-motoneurones parallels narcotic-induced catalepsy and muscular rigidity, with regard to dose-dependence as well as to the antagonism of naloxone and apomorphine, and suggests that both catalepsy and muscular rigidity are mainly due to an activation of extensor alpha-motoneurones. Since this activation can be inhibited by spinalization of the rats, it can be inhibited by spinalization of the rats, it can be concluded that the activation is due to a supraspinal action of morphine, resulting in a decreased dopaminergic neurotransmission in the brain.
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003917:Dextrorphan / Q000494:pharmacology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D007981:Levorphanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009294:Narcotics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D012018:Reflex / Q000187:drug effects*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D003917:Dextrorphan; D007981:Levorphanol; D009270:Naloxone; D009020:Morphine; D001058:Apomorphine