The use of naloxone to facilitate the generation of the locomotor rhythm in spinal cats

doi:10.1016/0165-0270(92)90137-3

Journal of Neuroscience Methods

Volume 42, Issues 1–2, April 1992, Pages 75-81

https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-0270(92)90137-3 Get rights and content

Abstract

The locomotor rhythm evoked by perineal stimulation in clonidine-treated acute and chronic spinal cats can be produced more easily when the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone is also administered. Naloxone increases the frequency of the locomotor rhythm and decreases the intensity of skin stimulation required for evoking the rhythm. A useful property of naloxone is that it can restore the locomotor rhythm when the rhythm wanes, thus prolonging the time period over which locomotor activity can be generated. Administration of naloxone without clonidine does not enable the locomotor rhythm to be generated by skin stimulation, but it does reduce the concentration of clonidine required for the expression of a robust rhythm and may increase the chance of a successful preparation. We conclude that naloxone is a useful pharmacological tool for studies on the locomotor pattern generator.

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¹: Present address: CRSN, Physiologie, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

²: Present address: Fachbereich Biologie, Universität Kaiserslautern. Kaiserslautern, Germany

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Research paperThe use of naloxone to facilitate the generation of the locomotor rhythm in spinal cats

Abstract

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Brain Res.

Initiation and modulation of the locomotor pattern in the adult chronic spinal cat by noradrenergic, serotonergic and dopaminergic drugs

Brain Res.

Naloxone enhancement of spinal reflexes in the rabbit

J. Physiol. (Lond.)

The contributions of μ, δ and κ opioid receptors to the actions of endogenous opioids on spinal reflexes in the rabbit

Br. J. Pharmacol.

Research paper
The use of naloxone to facilitate the generation of the locomotor rhythm in spinal cats