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Possible role of dopamine in central effects of cocaine as measured by apomorphine gnawing test in mice

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Abstract

Apomorphine (10 mg/kg, s.c.) does not induce in mice a compulsion to gnaw, but pretreatment with cocaine (10–40 mg/kg, i.p.) caused gnawing activity. This effect of cocaine was inhibited by pretreatment with α-methyl-p-tyrosine, haloperidol, and physostigmine, but not with FLA-63, phenoxybenzamine and tetrabenazine. These findings would suggest that dopaminergic mechanism plays a significant role in the potentiation of apomorphine gnawing activity by cocaine and also support the view that inhibition of dopamine uptake is responsible for the stimulatory action of cocaine.

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Dadkar, N.K., Dohadwalla, A.N. & Bhattacharya, B.K. Possible role of dopamine in central effects of cocaine as measured by apomorphine gnawing test in mice. Psychopharmacology 52, 115–117 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00439096

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