Ts. Shippenberg et W. Rea, SENSITIZATION TO THE BEHAVIORAL-EFFECTS OF COCAINE - MODULATION BY DYNORPHIN AND KAPPA-OPIOID RECEPTOR AGONISTS, Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior, 57(3), 1997, pp. 449-455
Several lines of evidence suggest an involvement of the mesolimbic dop
amine (DA) system in the mediation of psychostimulant-induced sensitiz
ation. It is also apparent that endogenous opioid peptide systems can
modulate the activity of this same DA system. Psychostimulant-induced
alterations in opioid peptide gene expression have also been reported.
In this review, evidence will be presented that demonstrates that the
administration of kappa-opioid agonists can prevent the initiation of
behavioral sensitization to cocaine and that such treatment is also e
ffective in preventing alterations in mesolimbic DA neurotransmission
that occur as a consequence of repeated cocaine administration. The pu
tative role of opioid-DA interactions in the modulation of psychostimu
lant-induced sensitization will also be discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier S
cience Inc.