Autonomic areas of rat brain exhibit increased Fos-like immunoreactivity during opiate withdrawal in rats

doi:10.1016/0006-8993(93)90055-R

Brain Research

Volume 624, Issues 1–2, 8 October 1993, Pages 19-28

https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(93)90055-R Get rights and content

Abstract

We sought to identify the brain areas that might contribute to the increased autonomic activity seen during morphine withdrawal by mapping neuronal expression of c-fos protein (Fos) and Fos-related antigens. Rats were implanted with morphine pellets or placebo pellets over a 5 day regimen and injected on day 6 with either saline or naltrexone (100 mg/kg). After a standard PAP immunocytochemical protocol, Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-LIR) was observed in medullary nuclei including the NTS (nucleus of the solitary tract), caudal (CVL) and rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVL). Although some Fos-LIR was seen in these areas in control rats (either morphine-implanted, saline injected, or placebo-implanted, saline or naltrexone injected), a significantly higher number of Fos-LIR-positive cells in NTS, CVL and RVL were seen after morphine withdrawal. Large numbers of Fos-like immunoreactive cells were also seen in the A5 area, the parabrachial nuclei of the pons and the locus coeruleus. Increased Fos-LIR was also detected in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and the amygdala of morphine withdrawn rats. The Fos-LIR was co-localized with tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in many of the cells in caudal and rostral ventrolateral medulla, A5 and locus coeruleus. These data support the conclusion that autonomic areas in brain and noradrenergic/adrenergic cells in these areas are activated during morphine withdrawal and may contribute to the autonomic symptoms of opiate withdrawal.

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Autonomic areas of rat brain exhibit increased Fos-like immunoreactivity during opiate withdrawal in rats

Abstract

Neuroscience

Neurosci. Lett.

Neurosci. Lett.

Life Sci.

Regulatory Peptides

Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav.

Brain Res.

Neurosci. Lett.

J. Autonomic Nervous System

Brain Res.

Neurosci. Lett.

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Prog. Brain Res.

Peptides

Regulatory Peptides

Life Sci.

Brain Res.

Trends Neurosci.

Brain Res.

Neuroscience

Peptides

Neurosci. Lett.

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

J. Neurosci.

J. Neurosci. Res.

Neuroscience

Soc. Neurosci. Abst.

Brain Res.

J. Comp. Neurol.

Mechanisms of tolerance and dependence: an overview

NIDA Res. Monogr.

Tolerance of locus coeruleus neurons to morphine and suppression of withdrawal response by clonidine

Nature

Cardiovascular and motor components of the defense reaction elicited in rats by electrical and chemical stimulation in amygdala

J. Autonomic Nervous System

Respiratory control of sympathetic nerve activity during naloxone-preciptated morphine withdrawal in rats

J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.

Neurons of the C1 area of rostral ventrolateral medullar mediate nucleus tractus solitarii hypertension

Hypertension

Selective mediation of kappaopioid central cardiovascular effects by ascending noradrenergic pathways

Exp. Brain Res.

Organization of ventrolateral medullary afferents to the hypothalamus

Expression of c-Fos immunoreactivity in transmitter-characterized neurons after stress

Forebrain mechanisms in neurogenic hypertension

Can. J. Physiol. Pharmacol.

Viral and cellular fos proteins are complexed with a 39,000-dalton cellular protein

Mol. Cell. Biol.