Premium
Contrasting responses by basal ganglia met‐enkephalin systems to low and high doses of methamphetamine in a rat model
Author(s) -
Alburges Mario E.,
Keefe Kristin A.,
Hanson Glen R.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1046/j.1471-4159.2001.00043.x
Subject(s) - methamphetamine , meth , basal ganglia , substantia nigra , globus pallidus , chemistry , endocrinology , medicine , enkephalin , dopamine , receptor , dopaminergic , biology , central nervous system , opioid , monomer , organic chemistry , acrylate , polymer
The influence of methamphetamine (METH) on basal ganglia met‐enkephalin (Menk) was studied by determining levels of this peptide in striatal, pallidal and nigral regions after administering a single low (0.5 mg/kg) or high (10 mg/kg) dose of this stimulant. The Menk levels in the striatal and pallidal areas were reduced and increased after the low‐ and high‐dose METH treatments, respectively, 12 h after drug administration in all striatal and pallidal regions examined. The low‐dose effect appeared to be principally influenced by increased activation of the dopamine D 2 ‐like receptor, while the high‐dose effect seemed to result from dominance of D 1 ‐like receptor activation. However, both effects required coactivation of D 1 ‐ and D 2 ‐like receptors. For the most part, both low‐ and high‐dose METH‐induced changes in Menk tissue content were fully recovered by 24 h. The Menk levels were not significantly altered in the substantia nigra 3–24 h after either METH treatment. Results reported herein indicated that striatal and pallidal Menk pathways respond differently after acute treatment with low or high doses of METH.