title: Evidence that mu-opioid receptors mediate midbrain "stimulation-produced analgesia" in the freely moving rat.
abstract: Electrical stimulation of the ventral midbrain in freely moving rats led to an antinociception against both noxious heat and noxious pressure. Recurrent stimulation was associated with a progressive loss of the antinociceptive efficacy of stimulation. Rats adapted ("tolerant") to stimulation revealed a significant reduction in the antinociceptive potency of a low dose of the systemically applied selective mu-opioid agonist, morphine. In distinction, the antinociceptive effect of the selective kappa-agonist, trans-3,4-dichloro-N-methyl-N[2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexyl]benzeneacetam ide (U50488H) was not modified. In the presence of naloxone, delivered subcutaneously via minipumps at a low dose for 7 days, the antinociceptive action of morphine was abolished, whereas that of U50488H was not attenuated: this reflects the selective blockade of mu-receptors. Rats receiving naloxone failed to develop an antinociception upon midbrain electrical stimulation. Removal of the pumps led to a supersensitivity to the antinociceptive effects of morphine but not U50488H. Similarly, midbrain stimulation-produced antinociception was enhanced. These data demonstrate that (1) midbrain stimulation-produced analgesia is selectively cross-tolerant to a mu- as compared to a kappa-agonist; (2) a very low dose of naloxone selective for the mu-receptor blocks midbrain stimulation-produced analgesia, and (3) chronic naloxone treatment leads to a selective supersensitivity to a mu-agonist as compared to a kappa-agonist and an enhancement of midbrain stimulation-produced analgesia. Collectively, the data indicate that a mu-opioid receptor mediates midbrain stimulation-produced analgesia in the rat against both noxious heat and noxious pressure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuropharmacology, Max-Planck-Institut für Psychiatrie, Martinsried, F.R.G.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Millan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Członkowski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herz
mesh_terms: D019900:3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer; D000698:Analgesia; D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009043:Motor Activity; D009270:Naloxone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D010146:Pain / Q000378:metabolism*; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D011759:Pyrrolidines; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D009270:Naloxone; D019900:3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer; D009020:Morphine