Exposure to the selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist salvinorin A modulates the behavioral and molecular effects of cocaine in rats.
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology October 2008 Elena H Chartoff, David Potter, Diane Damez-Werno et al.
Stress and chronic exposure to drugs of abuse can trigger addictive and depressive disorders. Both stimuli increase activity of dynorphin, a neuropeptide that acts at kappa-opioid receptors (KORs). In humans, KOR agonists cause dysphoria, raising the possibility that dynorphin modulates the depressive-like effects of stress and chronic drug use. We examined if KOR activation alters sensitivity...