title: Argon prevents the development of locomotor sensitization to amphetamine and amphetamine-induced changes in mu opioid receptor in the nucleus accumbens.
abstract: Systemic administration of γ-amino-butyric acid type A (GABA-A) and benzodiazepine receptor agonists has been reported to block the development of locomotor sensitization to amphetamine. Here, we investigated whether the non-anesthetic noble gas argon, shown to possess agonistic properties at these receptors, may block the acquisition of amphetamine-induced locomotor sensitization and mu opioid receptor activation in the nucleus accumbens. Rats were pretreated with saline solution or amphetamine (1 mg/kg) from day 1 to day 3 and then exposed, immediately after injection of amphetamine, to medicinal air or argon at 75 vol% (with the remainder being oxygen). After a 3-day period of withdrawal, rats were challenged with amphetamine on day 7. Rats pretreated with amphetamine and argon had lower locomotor activity (U = 5, P < 0.005) and mu opioid receptor activity in the nucleus accumbens (U = 0, P < 0.001) than rats pretreated with amphetamine and air. In contrast, argon had effect on locomotor and mu receptor activity neither in rats pretreated with saline and challenged with amphetamine (acute amphetamine) nor in rats pretreated and challenged with saline solution (controls). These results indicate that argon inhibits the development of both locomotor sensitization and mu opioid receptor activation induced by repeated administration of amphetamine.
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis, CSSS Alphonse-Desjardins, Lévis, QC Canada ; Département d'Anesthésiologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC Canada.
authors.forename: Hélène N
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: David
authors.affiliation: ISTCT UMR 6301, CEA DSV/I2BM, LDM-TEP group, GIP Cyceron, Caen, France ; ISTCT UMR 6301, CNRS, Caen, France ; ISTCT UMR 6301, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, Normandie-Université, Caen, France.
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dhilly
authors.affiliation: ISTCT UMR 6301, CEA DSV/I2BM, LDM-TEP group, GIP Cyceron, Caen, France ; ISTCT UMR 6301, CNRS, Caen, France ; ISTCT UMR 6301, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, Normandie-Université, Caen, France.
authors.forename: Géraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poisnel
authors.affiliation: Université de Caen - Basse Normandie, Normandie-Université, Caen, France.
authors.forename: Mickael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Degoulet
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Toulon, France.
authors.forename: Cédric
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meckler
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Toulon, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vallée
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Toulon, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Éric
authors.initials: JÉ
authors.lastname: Blatteau
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Toulon, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Jacques
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Risso
authors.affiliation: Air Liquide, Centre de Recherche Claude-Delorme, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lemaire
authors.affiliation: ISTCT UMR 6301, CEA DSV/I2BM, LDM-TEP group, GIP Cyceron, Caen, France ; ISTCT UMR 6301, CNRS, Caen, France ; ISTCT UMR 6301, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, Normandie-Université, Caen, France.
authors.forename: Danièle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Debruyne
authors.affiliation: Département d'Anesthésiologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC Canada ; Université de Caen - Basse Normandie, Normandie-Université, Caen, France ; Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Toulon, France.
authors.forename: Jacques H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Abraini
keywords: Amphetamine; Argon; Benzodiazepine; GABA; Locomotor sensitization; Noble gases