title: Itch elicited by intradermal injection of serotonin, intracisternal injection of morphine, and their synergistic interactions in rats.
abstract: We used the cheek model of itch and pain in rats to determine the dose-response relationships for intradermal injection of serotonin and α methylserotonin on scratching behavior. We also determined the dose-related effects of intracisternally injected morphine on scratching, effects that were greatly reduced by administration of the opiate antagonist naloxone. We then examined the interactions of intradermal injection of serotonin and intracisternal injection of morphine on scratching and found that the two procedures act synergistically to increase itch. These results suggest that morphine applied to the CNS is capable of producing itch and greatly increasing itch originating in the skin (hyperknesis).
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. Electronic address: giesler@umn.edu.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Giesler
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002610:Cheek; D002946:Cisterna Magna / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D006120:Grooming / Q000187:drug effects; D007271:Injections, Intradermal; D008297:Male; D009020:Morphine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011537:Pruritus / Q000139:chemically induced*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D009020:Morphine
keywords: hyperknesis; intracisternal injection; itch; morphine; serotonin