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Possible catecholamine mediation of levallorphan-induced behavioural disruption in rats

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Abstract

It was proposed that the behavioural effects of levallorphan, a narcotic antagonist with psychotomimetic properties, may be due to an increase in activity of brain catecholamines. Several behavioural studies, e.g. avoidance conditioning, stereotypy and spontaneous locomotory activity, were used to test this hypothesis. dl-α-methyl-para-tyrosine (AMPT) reduced central catecholamines and antagonised the levallorphan-induced behavioural effects in rats. The central effects of this narcotic antagonist seem to depend on brain catecholamines.

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Wray, S.R. Possible catecholamine mediation of levallorphan-induced behavioural disruption in rats. Psychopharmacologia 30, 251–262 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422871

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