The present microdialysis study investigated whether nociceptin/orphanin FQ exerts a tonic inhibition of the release of noradrenaline in the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala in awake rats. The non-peptide competitive nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) peptide receptor antagonist J-113397 (20 mg/kg i.p.) induced an increase in the release of noradrenaline to about 150-200%. The increase was strongly suppressed by local infusion of an endogenous N/OFQ peptide receptor agonist, nociceptin/orphanin FQ (1 microM) via retrograde microdialysis, into the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala. Local infusion of nociceptin/orphanin FQ (1 microM) itself reduced noradrenaline release in the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala to about 70% of basal levels. These results indicate that a large part of basal release of noradrenaline in the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala is under tonic inhibitory control by endogenous nociceptin/orphanin FQ through the N/OFQ peptide receptors localized within the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala.