Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase does not block the development of sensitization to the behavioral activating effects of amphetamine.
Pretreatment with the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a competitive blocker of NO production, did not interfere with the development of sensitization to the behavioral activating effects of amphetamine (AMPH). On five pre-exposure sessions, at 3-day intervals, rats were given two i.p. injections, either 50 mg/kg L-NAME 30 min prior to 1.5 mg/kg D-AMPH sulfate, saline and AMPH, L-NAME and saline, or saline only. L-NAME reduced the levels of activity recorded during the pre-exposure session but had no effect on the degree of sensitization shown to a challenge injection of 0.5 mg/kg AMPH given 10 days later. A separate study using in vivo microdialysis showed that pretreatment with L-NAME did not alter AMPH-stimulated dopamine release in nucleus accumbens.
Stewart
J
J
Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
Deschamps
S E
SE
Amir
S
S
D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000661:Amphetamine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000502:physiology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015290:Second Messenger Systems / Q000502:physiology*
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D000661:Amphetamine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D004298:Dopamine