Strain differences in the magnitude of swimming-induced analgesia in mice correlate with brain opiate receptor concentration

Brain Res. 1988 Apr 26;447(1):188-90. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(88)90984-5.

Abstract

Swimming-induced analgesia was studied in 4 strains of mice differing in central opiate receptor density: C57BL/6By (C57), BALB/cBy (BALB/c), CXBK and CXBH. The degree of 'swim analgesia' significantly differed among strains in the order CXBH greater than BALB/c = C57 greater than CXBK. This order positively correlates with known differences in opiate receptor density in these strains. Naloxone reversed the analgesic effect of swimming in CXBH, C57 and BALB/c, but was ineffective in opiate receptor-deficient CXBK mice. These results suggest that genetic differences in central opiate receptor density influence the analgesic response to stressful stimuli.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Analgesia*
  • Animals
  • Body Temperature / drug effects
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Crosses, Genetic
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL / physiology
  • Mice, Inbred Strains / physiology*
  • Motor Activity*
  • Naloxone / pharmacology
  • Receptors, Opioid / physiology*
  • Species Specificity
  • Swimming

Substances

  • Receptors, Opioid
  • Naloxone