Reverse tolerance to amphetamine evokes reverse tolerance to 5-hydroxytryptophan

Kappa opioid receptor immunoreactivity in the nucleus accumbens and caudate-putamen is primarily associated with synaptic vesicles in axons

A rabbit polyclonal antiserum, raised against a C-terminal oligopeptide of the mouse kappa opioid receptor, was used to localize the cellular distribution of kappa receptors in the dorsal and ventral striatum of rats with light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry. Prominent, diffuse kappa receptor immunoreactivity was present in the nucleus accumbens, particularly in the shell, ventral caudate-putamen and olfactory tubercle. The density of receptor immunoreactivity decreased in more dorsal areas of the caudate-putamen. In contrast, neuronal cell bodies stained clearly in the dorsal endopiriform nucleus, claustrum and layer VI of the adjacent cerebral cortex. Observations at the electron microscopic level in the dorsomedial shell of the nucleus accumbens and caudate-putamen revealed that the kappa receptor immunoreactivity was predominantly located in axons, often associated with synaptic vesicles, remote from the terminal or preterminal area. The few terminals which were labeled made slightly more asymmetrical than symmetrical contacts and the percentage of asymmetrical contacts observed was greater in the caudate than in the accumbens. A small number of postsynaptic spines was labeled; most of them were contacted by asymmetrical terminals. No labeling was observed in dendritic shafts.Thus, the predominant localization of kappa receptor immunoreactivity in axons is consistent with its role as a major inhibitor of glutamate and dopamine release in the dorsal and ventral striatum.

Chronic cocaine enhances serotonin autoregulation and serotonin uptake binding

Repeated cocaine intoxication can result in the development of behavioral sensitization in animals and psychosis in humans, phenomena that have been associated with alterations in dopamine (DA) function. Using electrophysiologic and autoradiographic techniques, modifications of central serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) systems were investigated in rats treated with a regimen of cocaine administration that produced behavioral sensitization. The inhibitory response of single 5-HT neurons in the dorsal raphe (DR) to (-)-cocaine, the 5-HT uptake inhibitor fluoxetine or the 5-HT1A agonist 8-hydroxy-2-[di-N-propylamino]tetralin (8-OHDPAT) was significantly enhanced in cocaine-treated rats. Furthermore, several brain areas that contain either cell bodies (DR) or terminals for 5-HT (medial and sulcal prefrontal cortex, frontal cortex) showed cocaine-induced elevations in [3H]imipramine-labeled 5-HT uptake sites, while [3H]-8-OHDPAT-labeled 5-HT1A receptors were decreased only in the central medial amygdala. These results suggest that modifications of autoregulatory mechanisms secondary to alterations of 5-HT uptake processes may contribute to the development of cocaine sensitization.

Effects of repeated injections of cocaine on catecholamine receptor binding sites, dopamine transporter binding sites and behavior in rhesus monkey

In order to determine if repeated injections of cocaine produced long-lasting alterations in catecholaminergic binding sites, rhesus monkeys were treated with saline (1.0 ml/15 kg) or cocaine (3.0-4.0 mg/kg) four times daily for 14 consecutive days and sacrificed two weeks after the last injection. The densities of dopamine D1 receptor binding sites, dopamine transporter binding sites and beta adrenergic receptor binding sites were significantly decreased in caudate nucleus to 51%, 17% and 61% of control, respectively, two weeks after repeated cocaine injections. There were no differences in D2 receptor binding site densities in the caudate, nor were there differences in binding sites between groups in the other brain regions examined: prefrontal cortex (D1, D2, dopamine transporter, beta), nucleus accumbens (D1, D2, dopamine transporter) and substantia nigra (D2). Behavioral observation showed that the cocaine-treated monkeys became sensitized to the repeated injections. Early in the regimen, these animals displayed stereotypic grooming, buccal movements and visual checking after each injection that differed significantly from the saline-treated animals. As the regimen progressed, the frequency of grooming decreased while the frequencies of visual tracking and splayed legs increased in a manner consistent with the development of behavioral sensitization. Together, these findings suggest that the caudate nucleus may be more sensitive than other dopamine-containing brain regions to long-lasting pre- and post-synaptic effects of repeated cocaine administration, and that the changes seen in dopaminergic neurons may be related to behavioral sensitization.

Amphetamine behavioral sensitization and the excitatory amino acids

The effects of 8 selective neuroeffector agonists and antagonists were measured in mice in order to identify specific functional changes associated with behavioral sensitization to amphetamine-induced stereotypy. The changes observed included a decreased convulsive threshold to N-methyl-DL-aspartic acid, an increased convulsive threshold to bicuculline, and an increased head-twitch response to 5-hydroxytryptophan. Of these effects, only the persistence of the two convulsive threshold changes correlated with the persistence of the behavioral sensitization. The induction of behavioral sensitization was blocked by haloperidol, dizocilpine or ketamine, but not affected by cyproheptadine or diazepam: therefore, the mechanism of the enhanced responsiveness involves not only a functional dopamine system, but also a functional N-methyl-D-aspartic acid component of the excitatory amino acid system. The block of behavioral sensitization also prevented the amphetamine-induced changes in the convulsive thresholds. Finally, neither ketamine nor dizocilpine affected the expression of the enhanced response in the behaviorally sensitized animals. The data indicate that the characteristics of amphetamine behavioral sensitization to stereotypy are similar to those of long-term potentiation.