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Multiple Opioid Receptors and Presynaptic Modulation of Neurotransmitter Release in the Brain

1993; Springer Science+Business Media; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1007/978-3-642-77460-7_7

1865-0325

A.H. Mulder, Anton N. M. Schoffelmeer,

Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research

Many of the effects of opioids on animals and men, especially those on behaviour, motor activity and vegetative functions, are thought to involve modulation of neurotransmission processes in the brain. In this regard, effects of opiates and opioid peptides on noradrenergic, cholinergic, dopaminergic and serotonergic neuronal systems in particular have been studied extensively over the past 20–25 years. Many of these investigations have examined the changes brought about in (regional) brain neurotransmitter levels and/or turnover or in various behavioural activities thought to reflect primarily the activity of one or other of these neuronal systems after systemic, intracerebroventricular or local intracerebral administration of opioids. Other studies have measured changes in neurotransmitter release from certain brain areas in vivo after opioid drug administration, using the push-pull cannula, the cortical cup method or, more recently, the brain microdialysis technique (DI Chiara and Imperato 1988; Spanagel et al. 1990a, b, see also Chap. 25).