THE ANTI-CRAVING DRUG ACAMPROSATE INHIBITS THE CONDITIONED PLACE AVERSION INDUCED BY NALOXONE-PRECIPITATED MORPHINE-WITHDRAWAL IN RATS

Citation
U. Kratzer et Wj. Schmidt, THE ANTI-CRAVING DRUG ACAMPROSATE INHIBITS THE CONDITIONED PLACE AVERSION INDUCED BY NALOXONE-PRECIPITATED MORPHINE-WITHDRAWAL IN RATS, Neuroscience letters, 252(1), 1998, pp. 53-56
Citations number
23
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences
Journal title
ISSN journal
03043940
Volume
252
Issue
1
Year of publication
1998
Pages
53 - 56
Database
ISI
SICI code
0304-3940(1998)252:1<53:TADAIT>2.0.ZU;2-0
Abstract
The anti-craving drug acamprosate (Ca N-acetylhomotaurinate) is therap eutically used to prevent a relapse in weaned alcoholics. In the prese nt place conditioning study, the effect of this compound on the motiva tional impact of morphine withdrawal was examined. Withdrawal was prec ipitated in rats by administration of the opioid antagonist naloxone ( 0.1 mg/kg, s.c.) 5-6 days after the subcutaneous implantation of a 75 mg morphine pellet. Aversion against the naloxone-paired cues was obse rved after conditioning in the drug-free state. The acquisition oi con ditioned place aversion was completely inhibited by the pretreatment w ith acamprosate (200 mg/kg, i.p.) 12 h and 30 min prior to conditionin g. These results clarify that acamprosate inhibits the motivational co mponent of morphine withdrawal and suggest that ethanol and opiates sh are similar properties in the neuronal mechanisms of conditioned withd rawal and craving. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. Ali rights r eserved.