REDUCTION OF VOLUNTARY MORPHINE CONSUMPTION FOLLOWING TREATMENT WITH ZIMELIDINE

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 244  (1) , 123-129
Abstract
Male Wistar rats were presented with an everyday free choice between water and a morphine-sucrose solution. Following a 5 day baseline period animals were injected with zimelidine (10 or 20 mg/kg i.p.), a neuronal serotonin uptake inhibitor, or Ringer''s solution (2 ml/kg i.p.) for 5 consecutive days. Treatment with zimelidine significantly attenuated morphine drinking; an increased availability of serotonin may interfere with the positive reinforcing properties of morphine. The results are discussed in terms of a possible interaction with brain norepinephrine. The possibility that the reinforcing effects of both morphine and ethanol are subserved by common mechanisms is suggested.