The effect of chronic administration of oxycodone on the behavioral functions and histopathology in the cerebellum and striatum of adult male rats

• Published in: 3 Biotech 2024-10, Vol.14 (10), p.225, Article 225
• Main Authors: Banei, Farzin, Aliaghaei, Abbas, Meftahi, Gholam Hossein
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Addictions; Agriculture; Apoptosis; Astrocytes; Bioinformatics; Biomaterials; Biotechnology; Cancer Research; Cellular structure; Cerebellum; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chronic pain; Coordination; Degeneration; Demyelination; Electromyography; Gliosis; Immunohistochemistry; Locomotion; Microglia; Motor ability; Motor task performance; Neostriatum; Nerves; Neurodegeneration; Neurons; Opioid receptors (type kappa); Opioid receptors (type mu); Original Article; Oxycodone; Performance evaluation; Stem Cells
• ISSN: 2190-572X; 2190-5738
• DOI: 10.1007/s13205-024-04062-y

Oxycodone is widely used for pain management and acts via binding to mu- and kappa opioid receptors. It was shown that extended oxycodone usage can result from the demyelination and degeneration of neurons through the stress response, which triggers apoptotic signaling pathways. The striatum and cerebellum are recognized as significant contributors to addiction; however, there is no report on the effect of oxycodone on the cerebellum and striatum and motor coordination. We treated rats daily with oxycodone at 15 mg/kg doses for thirty days. Motor performance and electromyography activity were then evaluated. Stereological methods were performed to assess the number of neurons in the cerebellum and striatum as well as immunohistochemistry for microgliosis and astrogliosis. Furthermore, the Sholl analysis method was utilized to evaluate the cellular structure of both microglia and astrocytes. Results of the rotarod test for motor coordination show no significant ( P