Peripherally acting opioid analgesics and peripherally-induced analgesia
The management of pain, particularly chronic pain, is still an area of medical need. In this context, opioids remain a gold standard for the treatment of pain. However, significant side effects, mainly of central origin, limit their clinical use. Here, we review recent progress to improve the therapeutic and safety profiles of opioids for pain management. Characterization of peripheral opioid-mediated pain mechanisms have been a key component of this process. Several studies identified peripheral µ, δ, and κ opioid receptors (MOR, DOR, and KOR, respectively) and nociceptin/orphanin FQ (NOP) receptors as significant play...
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - March 14, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Review Articles Source Type: research
Opioid system modulation of cognitive affective bias: implications for the treatment of mood disorders
A significant number of patients (30%) do not adequately respond to commonly prescribed antidepressants (e.g. SSRIs, SNRIs, and TCAs). Opioid receptors and their endogenous peptides have demonstrated a clear role in the regulation of mood in animal models and may offer an alternative approach to augment existing therapies. Nevertheless, there is an urgent need to find better ways to predict a patient’s response to drug treatment, to improve overall drug responding, and to reduce the time to symptom remission using novel diagnostic and efficacy biomarkers. Cognitive processes, such as perception, attention, memory, and le...
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - March 14, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Review Articles Source Type: research
The role of the gut microbiome in opioid use
We present clinical and preclinical evidence supporting a bidirectional relationship between gut microbiota and opioid-related behaviors by highlighting the effects of opioid use on gut bacteria, and the effects of gut bacteria on behavioral responses to opioids. Further, we discuss possible mechanisms of this gut-brain communication influencing opioid use. By clarifying the relationship between the gut microbiome and opioid-related behaviors, we improve understanding on mechanisms mediating reward-, motivation-, and stress-related behaviors and disorders, which may contribute to the development of effective, targeted ther...
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - March 14, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Review Articles Source Type: research
Announcement of Special Issue: the behavioural pharmacology of cannabinoids
No abstract available (Source: Behavioural Pharmacology)
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - March 14, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Announcement Source Type: research
The behavioural pharmacology of opioids
No abstract available (Source: Behavioural Pharmacology)
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - March 14, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Editorial Source Type: research
Role of AMPA receptor stimulation and TrkB signaling in the antidepressant-like effect of ketamine co-administered with a group II mGlu receptor antagonist, LY341495, in the forced swim test in rats: Erratum
No abstract available (Source: Behavioural Pharmacology)
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - January 10, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Erratum Source Type: research
Sensation seeking, sexual orientation, and drug abuse symptoms in a community sample of emerging adults
Increased use of drugs is associated with a number of factors including high sensation seeking and sexual minority status (through group-specific minority stress). We sought to examine how personality traits like sensation seeking may influence drug abuse among sexual minority individuals. Participants were 217 emerging adults (Mage = 20.23, SD = 0.85) recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Of these participants, 67.7% identified as heterosexual, 9.7% as gay or lesbian, 21.2% as bisexual, and 1.4% indicated other sexual orientations. Sensation seeking and drug abuse were self-reported using the Brief Sensation Seek...
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - January 10, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Short Reports Source Type: research
An online cognitive bias task: the Rough Estimation Task using Qualtrics
Measurement of cognitive bias typically relies on laboratory-based tasks. In order for cognitive bias measures to be useful outside of laboratory settings, a simple measure is required which does not rely on precise measurement tools, for example, precise reaction time measurement (which can be done only with specialized software typically running through either dedicated hardware or specifically configured computers). The Rough Estimation Task is a simple reading task which has been previously shown to be an effective measure of alcohol-related cognitive bias. We conducted an online version of the Rough Estimation Task, s...
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - January 10, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Short Reports Source Type: research
Protective role of functional food in cognitive deficit in young and senile rats
Cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases pose a significant burden on healthcare resources both in developed and developing countries which is a major socio-economic and healthcare concern. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of progressive neurodegenerative dementia of the aged brain. Aluminum is a constituent of antacids, deodorants, kitchenware and food additives which allows easy access into the body posing risk to development of senile dementia of Alzheimer’s type. Virgin coconut oil was declared as a potential cognitive strengthener. Assessment of cognitive and memory-enhancing effects of virgin c...
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - January 10, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Research Reports Source Type: research
Effects of linalool on extinction of mouse operant behaviour
Linalool is an enanitomer monoterpene compound identified as the pharmacologically active constituent in a number of essential oils and has been reported to display anxiolytic properties in humans and in animal models and to exert both GABAergic and glutamatergic effects. In Experiment 1 linalool (100, 200, and 300, i.p.) had no significant effects compared with saline in an activity tracker with C57BL/6j mice. Experiment 2 assessed the effects on operant extinction with mice of chlordiazepoxide at a dose (15 mg/kg, i.p.) previously shown to facilitate extinction, and the same doses of linalool, compared with saline. Linal...
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - January 10, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Research Reports Source Type: research
Effect of hyperbaric oxygen on chemotherapy-induced neuropathy in male and female rats
This study was designed to test whether HBO2 might also be useful for treating chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Male and female Sprague–Dawley rats were injected with 1 mg/kg paclitaxel or vehicle every other day for 7 days to induce allodynia, followed by either one single, or four daily 60-min exposures to HBO2 or room air. Mechanical and cold allodynia as well as locomotor behavior and body weight were assessed intermittently for several weeks. Estrous cycling was also tracked in female rats. Paclitaxel caused pronounced mechanical allodynia in both sexes that was completely reversed by either one or four...
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - January 10, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Research Reports Source Type: research
Measurement of baseline locomotion and other behavioral traits in a common marmoset model of Parkinson's disease established by a single administration regimen of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine: providing reference data for efficacious preclinical evaluations
Baseline locomotion and behavioral traits in the common marmoset Parkinson's disease model were examined to provide basic information for preclinical evaluations of medical treatments. A single regimen of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine at a cumulative dose of 5 mg/kg as the free base over three consecutive days was administered subcutaneously to 10 marmosets. Data obtained from these marmosets were compared to pre-1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine levels or 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine free marmosets. After the single regimen, reduced daily locomotion, a measure of immobility (a pri...
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - January 10, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Research Reports Source Type: research
Determining nicotine-related behavior changes in juvenile female rats through long-term maternal nicotine exposure
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) has been developed as a drug therapy for smoking cessation and has been considered a safe alternative to smoking during pregnancy. However, the effects of long-term nicotine exposure via NRT on the fetus are still being debated. Here, we determined the effects of long-term maternal nicotine exposure in gestation and lactation on nicotine-related behavior and drug vulnerability in dams and offspring rats. To expose long-term nicotine, on gestation day 14, pregnant rats were implanted with osmotic minipumps releasing nicotine tartrate (6 mg/kg/day, subcutaneously, equivalent to 2 mg nic...
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - January 10, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Research Reports Source Type: research
The opposing contribution of neurotrophin-3 and nerve growth factor to orofacial heat hyperalgesia in rats
In conclusion, we suggest that neurotrophin-3 is a potent modulator of facial heat hyperalgesia, which may exert an inhibitory influence on the trkA pathway. Neurotrophin-3 treatment may represent a promising approach, especially in pain conditions associated with increased levels of nerve growth factor. (Source: Behavioural Pharmacology)
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - January 10, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Research Reports Source Type: research
Pharmacological inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3 increases operant alcohol self-administration in a manner associated with altered pGSK-3β, protein interacting with C kinase and GluA2 protein expression in the reward pathway of male C57BL/6J mice
Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) is a constitutively active serine-threonine kinase that regulates numerous signaling pathways and has been implicated in neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases. Alcohol exposure increases GSK-3β (ser9) phosphorylation (pGSK-3β); however, few studies have investigated whether GSK-3 regulates the positive reinforcing effects of alcohol, which drive repetitive drug use. To address this goal, male C57BL/6J mice were trained to lever press on a fixed-ratio 4 schedule of sweetened alcohol or sucrose-only reinforcement in operant conditioning chambers. The GSK-3 inhibitor CHIR 99021 (...
Source: Behavioural Pharmacology - January 10, 2020 Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Tags: Research Reports Source Type: research
