title: Morphine induces an increase in extracellular serotonin in the rat diencephalon.
abstract: The effect of systemic morphine on extracellular serotonin (5-HT) in the diencephalon of unanesthetized, unrestrained rats was investigated by in vivo microdialysis coupled to high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Administration of morphine resulted in a dose dependent increase in extracellular 5-HT. Significant increases were first seen at a dose of 5 mg/kg, and a maximal increase occurred at 10 mg/kg. This increase was blocked by pretreatment with naltrexone, indicating that the effect of morphine on 5-HT was mediated by opiate receptors. Morphine also had a significant effect on extracellular 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), leading to a gradual increase across a range of doses. The effect of morphine on 5-HT was compared to effects of morphine on nociception and catalepsy. Increases in 5-HT and 5-HIAA were first detected at doses that were analgesic but too low to elicit catalepsy. Consistent with many reports that opioids cause an increase in synthesis and turnover of 5-HT in the rat forebrain, the present results provide more direct evidence that 5-HT release is increased after morphine administration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08855.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Grauer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Auerbach
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002375:Catalepsy / Q000139:chemically induced*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003956:Dialysis; D004027:Diencephalon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004563:Electrochemistry; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D009271:Naltrexone; D009020:Morphine