Discriminative-stimulus effects of methamphetamine and morphine in rats are attenuated by cAMP-related compounds

Behav Brain Res. 2006 Oct 2;173(1):39-46. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2006.05.029. Epub 2006 Jul 20.

Abstract

Animal models of drug discrimination have been used to examine the subjective effects of addictive substances. The cAMP system is a crucial downstream signaling pathway implicated in the long-lasting neuroadaptations induced by addictive drugs. We examined effects of rolipram, nefiracetam, and dopamine D2-like receptor antagonists, all of which have been reported to modulate cAMP level in vivo, on the discriminative-stimulus effects of methamphetamine (METH) and morphine in rats. All these compounds inhibited the discriminative-stimulus effects of METH, while only rolipram and nefiracetam attenuated the discriminative-stimulus effects of morphine. In addition, neither nifedipine nor neomycin, two voltage-sensitive calcium channel blockers, was found to modulate the effect of nefiracetam on METH-associated discriminative stimuli, suggesting that the inhibitory effect of nefiracetam may not involve the activation of calcium channels. These findings suggest that the cAMP signaling cascade may play a key role in the discriminative-stimulus effects of METH and morphine and may be a potential target for the development of therapeutics to counter drugs of abuse.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analysis of Variance
  • Animals
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / pharmacology
  • Central Nervous System Agents / pharmacology
  • Central Nervous System Stimulants / pharmacology*
  • Cyclic AMP / analogs & derivatives*
  • Cyclic AMP / metabolism
  • Discrimination Learning / drug effects*
  • Dopamine Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists
  • Male
  • Methamphetamine / pharmacology*
  • Morphine / pharmacology*
  • Narcotics / pharmacology*
  • Pyrrolidinones / pharmacology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Rolipram / pharmacology
  • Second Messenger Systems / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology

Substances

  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Central Nervous System Agents
  • Central Nervous System Stimulants
  • Dopamine Antagonists
  • Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists
  • Narcotics
  • Pyrrolidinones
  • nefiracetam
  • Methamphetamine
  • Morphine
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Rolipram