Effects of excitotoxic lesions of the central or basolateral nucleus of the amygdala on naloxone-precipitated withdrawal-induced conditioned place aversion in morphine-dependent rats

Takeshi Watanabe; Rie Yamamoto; Akifumi Maeda; Takayuki Nakagawa; Masabumi Minami; Masamichi Satoh

doi:10.1016/s0006-8993(02)03468-6

Effects of excitotoxic lesions of the central or basolateral nucleus of the amygdala on naloxone-precipitated withdrawal-induced conditioned place aversion in morphine-dependent rats

Brain Res. 2002 Dec 27;958(2):423-8. doi: 10.1016/s0006-8993(02)03468-6.

Authors

Takeshi Watanabe¹, Rie Yamamoto, Akifumi Maeda, Takayuki Nakagawa, Masabumi Minami, Masamichi Satoh

Affiliation

¹ Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.

PMID: 12470879
DOI: 10.1016/s0006-8993(02)03468-6

Abstract

We examined the effects of discrete, bilateral excitotoxic lesions of the central or basolateral nucleus of the amygdala on naloxone-precipitated withdrawal-induced conditioned place aversion in morphine-dependent rats. Lesions of the central nucleus significantly attenuated the conditioned place aversion, while lesions of the basolateral nucleus had little effect. These results suggest that the central nucleus of the amygdala, rather than the basolateral nucleus, plays a crucial role in the negative affective component of morphine abstinence.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Amygdala / drug effects
Amygdala / physiology*
Animals
Conditioning, Psychological / drug effects
Conditioning, Psychological / physiology*
Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / pharmacology
Male
Morphine Dependence* / psychology
Naloxone / pharmacology*
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Substance Withdrawal Syndrome* / psychology

Substances

Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
Naloxone