Long-lasting reciprocal changes in striatal dopamine and acetylcholine release upon morphine withdrawal.
In superfused rat striatal slices, the electrically evoked release of [3H]dopamine was reduced by about 30% and that of [14C]acetylcholine was enhanced by about 25% no less than 3 weeks after morphine withdrawal in rats chronically treated with the opiate for 6 days. The lasting nature of the reduced dopamine release at the level of dopaminergic nerve terminals and the concomittant enhanced excitability of neurons tonically inhibited by released dopamine, such as cholinergic interneurons, could play an important role in the maintenance of opiate dependence.
Tjon Tien Ril
H K
HK
Department of Pharmacology, Free University, Medical Faculty, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
De Vries
T J
TJ
Wardeh
G
G
Hogenboom
F
F
Mulder
A H
AH
Schoffelmeer
A N
AN
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*
D009020:Morphine; D000109:Acetylcholine; D004298:Dopamine