Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Behavioural effects in rats of morphine and amphetamine and of a combination of the two drugs

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Psychopharmacologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Small single doses of morphine (1 mg/kg s.c.) and of amphetamine (1 mg/kg s. c.) induce excitation in rats. Locomotion and rearing are selectively stimulated by amphetamine, and grooming by morphine. Higher doses of morphine (5 mg/kg s. c.) cause sedation or catalepsy (20 mg/kg s. c.) but no stereotypies are seen as after amphetamine (10 mg/kg s. c.). Repeated doses of morphine induce stereotyped behaviour, which is inhibited by nalorphine. An antagonism between morphine and amphetamine is demonstrated but the anti-amphetamine effect of morphine is different from that of the neuroleptic drugs. Catecholamines in the basal ganglia may play a role in these behavioural effects of morphine.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Fog, R.: Stereotyped and non-stereotyped behaviour in rats induced by various stimulant drugs. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 14, 299–304 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  • —, Randrup, A., Pakkenberg, H.: Aminergic mechanisms in corpus striatum and amphetamine-induced stereotyped behaviour. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 11, 179–183 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • — — —, Randrup, A., Pakkenberg, H.: Neuroleptic action of quaternary chlorpromazine and related drugs injected into various brain areas in rats. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 12, 428 to 432 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gunne, L.-M.: Catecholamines and 5-hydroxytryptamine in morphine tolerance and withdrawal. (Thesis.) Acta physiol. scand. suppl. 204 (ad vol. 58) (1963).

  • —: Some pharmacological agents modyfying the morphine abstinence syndrome in dogs. Arch. int. Pharmacodyn. 157, 293–298 (1965).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, W., Wikler, A., Eades, C., Pescor, F.: Tolerance to and physical dependence on morphine in rats. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 4, 247–260 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  • Munkvad, I., Pakkenberg, H., Randrup, A.: Aminergic systems in basal ganglia associated with stereotyped hyperactive behaviour and catalepsy. Brain, Behaviour and Evolution 1, 89–100 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  • —, Randrup, A.: The persistence of amphetamine stereotypies of rats in spite of strong sedation. Acta psychiat. scand., suppl. 191 (ad vol. 42), 178–187 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  • Neal, M.: Failure of morphine dependence in rats to influence brain moradrenaline turnover. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 20, 950 (1968).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Petersen, P. V.: Studies on a new spasmolytic compound 1,1-diphenyl-3-dimethylaminobutene-1 (A29), related to methadone, and on the combined use of this compound and a potent analgesic, ketobemidone (A21). Acta pharmacol. (Kbh.) 7, 51–64 (1951).

    Google Scholar 

  • Randrap, A., Munkvad, I.: Special antagonism of amphetamine-induced abnormal behaviour. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 7, 416–422 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  • — —: Stereotyped activities produced by amphetamine in several animal species and man. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 11, 300–310 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • — —: Behavioural stereotypies induced by pharmacological agents. Pharmakopsychiatrie. Neuro-Psychopharmakol. (Stuttg.). 1, 18–26 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  • — —: Biochemical, anatomical and psychological investigations of stereotyped behaviour induced by amphetamines. Symposium on amphetamines and related compounds. Milan, March 1969. New York: Raven Press. Inc. 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  • — —, Udsen, P.: Adrenergic mechanisms and amphetamine-induced abnormal behaviour. Acta pharmacol. (Kbh.) 20, 145–157 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  • Sloan, J., Brooks, J., Eisenmann, A., Martin, W.: The effects of addiction to and abstinence from morphine on rat tissue catecholamine and serotonine levels. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 4, 261–270 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Nueten, J. M.: Étude des effects de dérives phénothiaziniques et butyrophénoniques sur l'action amphetamine chez le rat. Thesis, Paris 1962.

  • Verri, R. A.: Antagonism of morphine analgesia by reserpine and α-methyltyrosine and the role played by catecholamines in morphine analgesic action. J. Pharm. Pharmacol. 19, 264 (1967).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Research Laboratory, Dept. E, Sct. Hans Mental Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark

    Rasmus Fog

Authors
  1. Rasmus Fog
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fog, R. Behavioural effects in rats of morphine and amphetamine and of a combination of the two drugs. Psychopharmacologia 16, 305–312 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00404736

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00404736

Key-Words

Search

Navigation