title: Responses of dopaminergic, serotonergic and noradrenergic networks to acute levo-tetrahydropalmatine administration in naïve rats detected at 9.4 T.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to understand the neuropharmacological characteristics of levo-tetrahydropalmatine (l-THP), a recently found potential treatment for drug addiction, and discover its neural correlates and sites of action.
  
  
  METHODS
  High-field pharmacological magnetic resonance imaging (phMRI) was used to detect activation induced by acute l-THP administration in the naïve rat brain at dose levels of 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Interestingly, the pharmacological profile of l-THP selectively binds to the receptors of the dopaminergic, serotonergic and noradrenergic systems. Using the phMRI method, it was demonstrated that l-THP selectively activated the key brain regions of the dopaminergic, serotonergic and noradrenergic systems in a dose-dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Numerous studies suggest a critical role of monoamines in the behavioral, pharmacological and addictive properties of psychostimulants. It is suggested that l-THP holds great potential to be a therapeutic medication for drug addiction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
authors.forename: Xiping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Rupeng
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Alan S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Bloom
authors.forename: Shi-Jiang
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D059331:Adrenergic Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001600:Berberine Alkaloids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects*; D059290:Dopaminergic Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D059326:Serotonergic Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001600:Berberine Alkaloids; C014215:tetrahydropalmatine
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