Chronic intracerebroventricular infusion of nociceptin/orphanin FQ increases food and ethanol intake in alcohol-preferring rats.

Abstract

Central administration of low doses of nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ), the endogenous ligand of the opioid-like orphan receptor NOP, have been shown to reduce ethanol consumption, ethanol-induced conditioned place preference and stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior in alcohol preferring rats. The present study evaluated the effect of continuous (7 days) lateral brain ventricle infusions of N/OFQ (0, 0.25, 1, 4, and 8 microg/h), by means of osmotic mini-pumps, on 10% ethanol intake in Marchigian-Sardinian alcohol-preferring (msP) rats provided 2h or 24h access to it. N/OFQ dose-dependently increased food intake in msP rats. On the other hand, in contrast to previous studies with acute injections, continuous lateral brain ventricle infusion of high doses of N/OFQ increased ethanol consumption when the ethanol solution was available for 24h/day or 2h/day. The present study demonstrates that continuous activation of the opioidergic N/OFQ receptor does not blunt the reinforcing effects of ethanol. Moreover, the data suggest that continuous activation of the opioidergic N/OFQ receptor is not a suitable way to reduce alcohol abuse.

• Authors: Carlo Cifani, Remo Guerrini, Maurizio Massi, Carlo Polidori
• Journal: Peptides (Peptides) Vol. 27 Issue 11 Pg. 2803-10 (Nov 2006) ISSN: 0196-9781 [Print] United States
• PMID: 16730389 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Opioid Peptides
• Vasodilator Agents
• Ethanol

Topics

• Alcohol Drinking
• Alcoholism (physiopathology)
• Animals
• Behavior, Animal (drug effects)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
• Eating (drug effects)
• Ethanol (administration & dosage)
• Injections, Intraventricular
• Male
• Opioid Peptides (pharmacology)
• Rats
• Rats, Inbred Strains
• Time Factors
• Vasodilator Agents (pharmacology)
• Nociceptin