Expression of morphine-conditioned place preference is more vulnerable than naloxone-conditioned place aversion to disruption by nociceptin in mice

Neurosci Lett. 2008 Oct 3;443(2):108-12. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2008.07.043. Epub 2008 Jul 22.

Abstract

The opioid peptide nociceptin (orphanin FQ) suppresses the incentive and rewarding properties of drugs. Thus, targeting the nociceptin system may be beneficial in treating drug addiction. The effects of nociceptin (0-1.5nmol intracerebroventricular) on the expression of morphine- (6mg/kg subcutaneous) and naloxone-(6mg/kg subcutaneous) induced place conditioning were examined in mice. Whereas doses of 0.5nmol nociceptin and above disrupted expression of morphine-conditioned place preference (CPP), naloxone-conditioned place aversion (CPA) remained intact at all doses of nociceptin tested. Doses of 0.5nmol nociceptin and above suppressed locomotion, though this appeared unrelated to the expression of place conditioning. These results suggest that nociceptin more potently blocks the ability of reward-associated cues than aversion-associated cues to influence behavioral biases.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Avoidance Learning / drug effects
  • Avoidance Learning / physiology
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / physiology
  • Conditioning, Operant / drug effects*
  • Cues
  • Mice
  • Morphine / pharmacology*
  • Motor Activity / drug effects
  • Naloxone / pharmacology*
  • Narcotic Antagonists / pharmacology*
  • Narcotics / pharmacology*
  • Nociceptin
  • Opioid Peptides / metabolism*
  • Reward

Substances

  • Narcotic Antagonists
  • Narcotics
  • Opioid Peptides
  • Naloxone
  • Morphine