Local opiate withdrawal in locus coeruleus in vivo.
Hyperactivity of noradrenergic locus coeruleus (LC) neurons following withdrawal from chronic opiates has been implicated in the opiate withdrawal syndrome. Here, we report that local withdrawal induced in vivo by microinfusion of an opiate antagonist into the LC of morphine-dependent rats marginally, but significantly, activated LC neurons above the level obtained with local naloxone microinfusion in naive rats. This local withdrawal response contributes a significant fraction (approximately 19%) of the total LC hyperactivity induced by systemic naloxone.
Aston-Jones
G
G
Department of Psychiatry, Allegheny-Hahnemann Medical School, Philadelphia, PA 19102, USA. aston@allegheny.edu
Hirata
H
H
Akaoka
H
H
D000818:Animals; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome
D009294:Narcotics; D009020:Morphine