Morphine analgesia: enhancement by shock-associated cues

Behav Neurosci. 1984 Apr;98(2):293-309. doi: 10.1037//0735-7044.98.2.293.

Abstract

Recent research has shown that rats exposed to repeated stress display enhanced morphine analgesia. This study examined the possible contribution of classically conditioned analgesia to this effect. First, drug-naive rats exposed to nine daily sessions of stress, each consisting of a single 45-s exposure to footshock, subsequently displayed enhanced analgesic responsiveness to morphine 1 and 10 days after stress (Experiments 1, 2, and 5). This enhancement was also observed in morphine-experienced rats 1 and 8 days after stress (Experiment 1). Second, the effect of footshock stress on morphine analgesia was found to be specific to the environment in which stress was administered (Experiments 2 and 3). Rats tested in the same distinctive environment in which stress was administered displayed enhanced morphine analgesia; rats shocked elsewhere did not differ from nonshocked controls (Experiment 2). Third, conditioned analgesia was found under the same conditions that yielded enhanced morphine analgesia (Experiments 2 and 4). Lastly, both this conditioned analgesia and the acute analgesia elicited by the footshock stressor were found to be attenuated by naloxone (Experiments 5 and 6). These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the enhanced morphine analgesia observed after repeated footshock stress reflects the contribution of an opioid mediated , conditioned analgesia elicited by cues formerly paired with the stressor.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Electroshock
  • Male
  • Morphine / therapeutic use*
  • Naloxone
  • Pain / drug therapy*
  • Pain / physiopathology
  • Pain / psychology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Reaction Time / physiology
  • Stress, Physiological / physiopathology*
  • Stress, Physiological / psychology

Substances

  • Naloxone
  • Morphine