Alcohol drinking is reduced by a μ1- but not by a δ-opioid receptor antagonist in alcohol-preferring rats

To assess the roles of opioid receptor subtypes in voluntary alcohol drinking, alcohol-preferring AA (Alko, Alcohol) rats, non-deprived of food or water, were used in a paradigm where access to 10% alcohol solution was limited to 1–4-h sessions on every 2nd working day. The δ-opioid receptor antagon...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of pharmacology 1996-05, Vol.304 (1), p.7-13
Main Authors: Honkanen, Aapo, Vilamo, Laura, Wegelius, Katri, Sarviharju, Maija, Hyytiä, Petri, Korpi, Esa R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alcohol drinking
Alcoholism and acute alcohol poisoning
Biological and medical sciences
Food intake
Medical sciences
Reinforcement
Selected rat line
Toxicology
δ-Opioid receptor
μ-Opioid receptor
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Summary:To assess the roles of opioid receptor subtypes in voluntary alcohol drinking, alcohol-preferring AA (Alko, Alcohol) rats, non-deprived of food or water, were used in a paradigm where access to 10% alcohol solution was limited to 1–4-h sessions on every 2nd working day. The δ-opioid receptor antagonist naltrindole (1–5 mg/kg i.p. 15 min before the session) had no effect on alcohol drinking, while it attenuated the δ-opioid receptor agonist [ d-Pen 2, d-Pen 5]enkephalin-induced locomotor stimulation. The μ 1-opioid receptor antagonist naloxonazine (1–15 mg/kg i.p. 20 h before the session), at the largest dose, decreased alcohol drinking. It also decreased food intake. When naltrindole (1 mg/kg) and naloxonazine (15 mg/kg) were given prior to 3 consecutive sessions, the former had no effects at any session. Naloxonazine decreased alcohol consumption only in the 1st session, although the reduction of daily water intake became stronger during repeated administration. 4 days after the last drug administration, naloxonazine-treated animals consumed alcohol nearly twice as much as in the control session before any drug treatment. These data suggest that δ-opioid receptors are not involved in the regulation of alcohol drinking in AA rats. μ 1-Opioid receptors may be involved in alcohol drinking, although the data suggest that even their prolonged blockade alone is insufficient to induce a sustained decrease in alcohol drinking.
ISSN:0014-2999
1879-0712
DOI:10.1016/0014-2999(96)00118-5