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Infusion of γ2-MSH produce a conditioned taste aversion in morphine-dependent rats

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Abstract

A two flavour, unbiased, taste preference conditioning procedure was used to test for possible motivating effects of γ2-MSH. Three training trials failed to produce any significant effect with doses ranging from 2.4 to 40 μg/ ICV infusion in drug-naive, non-operated or placebo-implanted rats. However, in rats made dependent by SC implantation of a morphine pellet 4 days earlier 15 μg γ2-MSH/infusion produced a taste aversion that was comparable to that produced by infusion of a low dose of the competitive opioid receptor antagonist naloxone (0.32 μg). The findings confirm with a conditioning procedure and with opiate-dependent animals the naloxone-like effects of γ2-MSH. They also suggest that this endogenously-located peptide may acquire an aversive property as a result of chronic morphine treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biobehavioral Research Department, Addiction Research Foundation, M5S 2S1, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Ronald F. Mucha

  2. Department of Pharmacology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Ronald F. Mucha

  3. Rudolf Magnus Institute of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Utrecht, Vondellaan 6, NL-3521 GD, Utrecht, The Netherlands

    Jan M. van Ree

Authors
  1. Ronald F. Mucha
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  2. Jan M. van Ree
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Mucha, R.F., van Ree, J.M. Infusion of γ2-MSH produce a conditioned taste aversion in morphine-dependent rats. Psychopharmacology 99, 140–142 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00634469

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00634469

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