Summary
The effect of morphine on potassium-induced stimulation of (3H)-noradrenaline release from slices of the rat thalamus was investigated. The in vitro addition of morphine (10−6 M) significantly depressed potassium-induced tritium overflow by 42% and this was prevented by the prior addition of naloxone (3×10−6 M) to the medium. The stimulation-evoked overflow of tritium from slices of the thalamus of morphine-dependent rats was not significantly different from normal controls. Addition of naloxone (10−5 M) 10 min before exposure of the tissues to 20 mM K+ significantly enhanced noradrenaline release from ‘dependent’ slices. The results suggest that the basic release mechanism may have adapted to the continuous presynaptic inhibition of release by morphine.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arbilla, S., Langer, S. Z.: Morphine and β-endorphin inhibit release of noradrenaline from cerebral cortex but not of dopamine from rat striatum. Nature 271, 559–561 (1978)
Atweh, S. F., Kuhar, M. J.: Autoradiographic localization of opiate receptors in rat brain. II. The brain stem. Brain Res. 129, 1–12 (1977)
Brodie, M. E.: Alterations to central catecholaminergic neurotransmission during the morphine withdrawal syndrome in the mouse and rat. PhD Thesis, University of Otago, New Zealand 1979
Carmichael, F. J., Israel, Y.: In vitro inhibitory effects of narcotic analgesics and other psychotropic drugs on the active uptake of norepinephrine in mouse brain tissue. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 186, 253–260 (1973)
Collier, H. O. J., Francis, D. L., Schneider, C.: Modification of morphine withdrawal by drugs interacting with humoral mechanisms: some contradictions and their interpretation. Nature 237, 220–223 (1972)
Guerrero-Munoz, F., Cerreta, K. V., Guerrero, M. L., Way, E. L.: Effect of morphine on synaptosomal Ca2+ uptake. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 209, 132–136 (1979)
Iversen, L. L.: Methods involved in studies of the uptake of biogenic amines. In: Methods in investigative and diagnostic endocrinology, the thyroid and biogenic amines (J. E. Rall, and I. J. Kopin, eds.), pp. 569–603. Amsterdam: North Holland Publishing Company 1972
Montel, J., Starke, K., Weber, F.: Influence of morphine and naloxone on the release of noradrenaline from rat brain cortex slices. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 283, 357–369 (1974)
Montel, H., Starke, K., Taube, H. D.: Morphine tolerance and dependence in noradrenaline neurones of the rat cerebral cortex. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 288, 415–426 (1975a)
Montel, H., Starke, K., Taube, H. D.: Influence of morphine and naloxone on the release of noradrenaline from rat cerebellar cortex slices. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 288, 427–433 (1975b)
Ross, D. H.: Calcium content and binding in synaptosomal subfractions during chronic morphine treatment. Neurochem. Res. 2, 581–593 (1977)
Ross, D. H., Lynn, S. C., Jr., Cardenas, H. L.: Selective control of calcium levels by naloxone. Life Sci. 18, 789–796 (1976)
Taube, H. D., Starke, K., Borowski, E.: Presynaptic receptor systems on the noradrenergic neurons of rat brain. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 299, 123–141 (1977)
Yamamoto, H., Harris, R. A., Loh, H. H., Way, E. L.: Effects of acute and chronic morphine treatments on calcium localization and binding in brain. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 205, 255–264 (1978)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Brodie, M.E., Laverty, R. & McQueen, E.G. Noradrenaline release from slices of the thalamus of normal and morphine-dependent rats. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch. Pharmacol. 313, 135–138 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00498569
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00498569