Naltrindole, a delta-opioid antagonist, blocks MDMA's ability to enhance pressing for rewarding brain stimulation.
L D Reid, C L Hubbell, J Tsai, M D Fishkin, C A Amendola
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior February 1996 DOI: 10.1016/0091-3057(95)02020-9 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental animal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 12 |
| Population | Rats with chronically indwelling bipolar electrodes stimulating the medial forebrain bundle |
| Interventions | MDMA Naltrindole |
| Topics | MDMA |
| Key findings | MDMA significantly increased rates of bar pressing for intracranial self-stimulation. Naltrindole, a selective delta-opioid receptor antagonist, blocked this MDMA-induced enhancement of pressing. |
Abstract
Twelve rats were each fixed with a chronically indwelling bipolar electrode for stimulation of the medial forebrain bundle as it courses through the hypothalamus. These rats were trained to press a bar for intracranial stimulation of 0.3-s trains of 60 Hz sine waves for 10 min daily at three intensities. One intensity was just above threshold for maintaining pressing, one intensity was a high intensity that sustained considerable pressing, but not maximum pressing, and the other was intermediate to the others. After stable rates of pressing were obtained, rats received MDMA daily. MDMA significantly increased rates of pressing. Prior to a day when rats received MDMA, they also received an injection of naltrindole, a selective delta-opioid receptor antagonist. Naltrindole blocked MDMA's enhancement of pressing for reinforcing brain stimulation.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on MDMA, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 10
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- The rewarding properties of MDMA are preserved in mice lacking µ‐opioid receptors European Journal of Neuroscience July 15, 2004
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