title: Pharmacological characterization of the nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor on ethanol-mediated motivational effects in infant and adolescent rats.
abstract: Activation of nociceptin/orphanin FQ (NOP) receptors attenuates ethanol drinking and prevents relapse in adult rodents. In younger rodents (i.e., infant rats), activation of NOP receptors blocks ethanol-induced locomotor activation but does not attenuate ethanol intake. The aim of the present study was to extend the analysis of NOP modulation of ethanol's effects during early ontogeny. Aversive and anxiolytic effects of ethanol were measured in infant and adolescent rats via conditioned taste aversion and the light-dark box test; whereas ethanol-induced locomotor activity and ethanol intake was measured in adolescents only. Before these tests, infant rats were treated with the natural ligand of NOP receptors, nociceptin (0.0, 0.5 or 1.0 μg) and adolescent rats were treated with the specific agonist Ro 64-6198 (0.0, 0.1 or 0.3 mg/kg). The activation of NOP receptors attenuated ethanol-induced anxiolysis in adolescents only, and had no effect on ethanol's aversive effects. Administration of Ro 64-6198 blocked ethanol-induced locomotor activation but did not modify ethanol intake patterns. The attenuation of ethanol stimulating and anxiolytic effect by activation of NOP receptors indicates a modulatory role of this receptor on ethanol effects, which is expressed early in ontogeny.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), 5016 Córdoba, Argentina. Electronic address: smiranda@immf.uncor.edu.
authors.forename: Roberto Sebastián
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Miranda-Morales
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Investigación Médica Mercedes y Martín Ferreyra (INIMEC-CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Córdoba), 5016 Córdoba, Argentina; Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: Ricardo M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pautassi
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D018847:Opioid Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism*; D012439:Saccharin; D013141:Spiro Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D055697:Taste Perception / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000094942:Nociceptin Receptor; D000097629:Nociceptin
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D007093:Imidazoles; D018847:Opioid Peptides; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D012439:Saccharin; D013141:Spiro Compounds; D000094942:Nociceptin Receptor; D000097629:Nociceptin; C408068:Ro 64-6198; C000722285:Oprl1 protein, rat
keywords: Early ontogeny; Ethanol anxiolytic effect; Ethanol-induced locomotor activation; NOP opioid receptor