Opioid receptor subtypes associated with ventral tegmental facilitation and periaqueductal gray inhibition of feeding.
Eating was induced in sated animals by lateral hypothalamic electrical stimulation following central microinjections of mu- (morphine), delta-([D-Pen2,D-Pen5]enkephalin) or kappa-(U-50,488H) receptor agonists, or saline. With stimulation intensity fixed at a moderate level, time to eat 3 45-mg food pellets decreased with increases in stimulation frequency, approaching an asymptote near 7 s at ca. 70 Hz. Ventral tegmental injections (8 but not 0.8 nmol) of each of the 3 drugs reduced the minimum frequency required to produce eating of 3 pellets within 20 s and reduced the frequency at which asymptotic performance was produced; the drugs were equally effective at these doses. Naloxone (2 mg/kg) reversed the effects of each drug; naloxone was slightly more effective against morphine than against DPDPE or U-50,488H. These data suggest that all 3 receptor classes may contribute to the ventral tegmental facilitation of feeding. Periaqueductal gray injections (16 but not 1.6 nmol) of morphine had the opposite effect; they increased the stimulation frequency required to cause eating of 3 pellets in 20 s, and decreased the speed of eating across all stimulation frequencies. Periaqueductal gray injections of the delta- and kappa-agonists were each without effect. These data indicate that the periaqueductal gray inhibition of feeding is mediated solely by mu-receptors and their associated periaqueductal gray circuitry.
Jenck
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F
Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Que., Canada.
Quirion
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R
Wise
R A
RA
D019900:3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer; D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D020881:Enkephalin, D-Penicillamine (2,5)-; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D007026:Hypothalamic Area, Lateral / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010487:Periaqueductal Gray / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000502:physiology*; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; D017473:Receptors, Opioid, kappa; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; D013681:Tegmentum Mesencephali / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D000700:Analgesics; D004745:Enkephalins; D011759:Pyrrolidines; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D017465:Receptors, Opioid, delta; D017473:Receptors, Opioid, kappa; D017450:Receptors, Opioid, mu; D019900:3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer; D009020:Morphine; D020881:Enkephalin, D-Penicillamine (2,5)-