Affiliation:
1. Department of Microbiology, Karaj Branch Islamic Azad University,
Karaj, Iran
2. Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Iran University of Medical
Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Abstract
Objective Orexin neuropeptides are implicated in physical dependence on
opioids and expression of withdrawal symptoms in drug abuse. The paraventricular
nucleus of the midline thalamus (PVT) has a high expression of orexin receptors.
The current research studied the effect of orexin-A in the PVT area on the
development of behavioral indices produced by morphine withdrawal in rats.
Methods Male Wistar rats weighing 250–300 gr were utilised. To
produce drug dependence, morphine (6, 16, 26, 36, 46, 56, and
66 mg/kg, 2 ml/kg) was injected at an interval
of 24 hrs for 7 days. To assess the involvement of the orexin in withdrawal
syndrome, we injected orexin-A (100 μM, 200 nl) into the
PVT for 7 days before each morphine injection. On the day after the last
injection of morphine, naloxone (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.) was injected
to elicit the morphine withdrawal symptoms which were observed and checked for
25 min.
Results The results of the current research showed that the orexin-A in
PVT enhances the severity of behavioral symptoms prompted by the injection of
naloxone in drug-dependent rats.
Conclusions These observations imply that targeting the orexin receptors
in PVT might exhibit a new therapeutic strategy for the future treatment of
dependence.
Subject
Drug Discovery,General Medicine
Cited by
4 articles.
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