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Time-dependent changes in sensitivity to apomorphine and monoamine receptors following withdrawal from continuous cocaine administration in rats.

The effects of withdrawal from continuous administration of cocaine on behavioral sensitivity to apomorphine and monoamine receptor density were examined in rats. Subdermal minipumps that delivered either saline or 20 mg/kg/day cocaine hydrochloride were implanted for 2 weeks. Apomorphine-induced stereotypy (0.5 mg/kg, SC) was examined in separate groups of rats either 4 hr or 7, 28, or 60 days after removal of the minipumps. Transient enhanced sensitivity to apomorphine-induced stereotypy occurred during the course of withdrawal. Animals withdrawn from cocaine for 4 hours did not differ from controls in their sensitivity to apomorphine, whereas animals withdrawn from cocaine for 7 days exhibited an increase in apomorphine-induced oral stereotypy relative to controls. However, the enhanced stereotypy response was no longer evident in animals withdrawn for 28-60 days. The animals were sacrificed after behavioral testing, and their brains were assayed for changes in monoamine receptor density in the frontal cortex, caudate-putamen, and nucleus accumbens. The density of 3H-SCH-23390-labeled D1 receptors was altered in all three regions examined in a time-dependent manner that paralleled the changes in behavioral sensitivity to apomorphine. There was a transient decrease in D1 receptor density that was evident by 7 days following withdrawal from continuous cocaine administration and was no longer evident 28 or 60 days posttreatment. There were no changes in 3H-spiroperidol-labeled D2 receptors, 125-pindolol-labeled beta-adrenergic receptors, or 3H-ketanserin-labeled 5-HT2 receptors in any of the regions examined at both 4 hr and 7 days after termination of the cocaine infusion. These findings are discussed in terms of their relevance to developing pharmacologic treatments for withdrawal from cocaine.

Animals↗

Effect of acute L-Dopa pretreatment on apomorphine-induced rotational behavior in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.

Currently, reduction of apomorphine-induced rotational behavior in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesioned rat is the most utilized drug-induced paradigm for assessing functional efficacy in a rat model of Parkinson's disease (PD). Any clinically predictive animal model of PD should include a positive response to l-dopa, the standard pharmacotherapy for PD. However, the acute interaction between L-dopa and apomorphine has never been studied to determine if L-dopa pretreatment could reduce apomorphine-induced rotational behavior in a 6-OHDA lesioned rat. The present study was designed to explore whether, indeed, pretreatment with subrotational doses of L-dopa could inhibit apomorphine-induced rotations. The data indicate that L-dopa significantly reduced apomorphine-induced rotational behavior only at one dose (5.0 mg/kg) for 12 min. Based on these and other data, it is concluded that although the apomorphine-induced rotational paradigm may continue to be utilized as one additional indicator of efficacy in the 6-OHDA rat model of PD, it is not in itself a completely valid functional assay.

Animals↗

Potent neuroprotective and antioxidant activity of apomorphine in MPTP and 6-hydroxydopamine induced neurotoxicity.

Apomorphine is a potent radical scavenger and iron chelator. In vitro apomorphine acts as a potent iron chelator and radical scavenger with IC50 of 0.3 microM for iron (2.5 microM) induced lipid peroxidation in rat brain mitochondrial preparation, and it inhibits mice striatal MAO-A and MAO-B activities with IC50 values of 93 microM and 241 microM. Apomorphine (1-10 microM) protects rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells from 6-hydroxydopamine (150 microM) and H2O2 (0.6 mM) induced cytotoxicity and cell death. The neuroprotective property of (R)-apomorphine, a dopamine D1-D2 receptor agonist, has been studied in the MPTP (N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) model of Parkinson's disease. (R)-apomorphine (5-10 mg/kg, s.c.) pretreatment in C57BL mice, protects against MPTP (24 mg/kg, i.p.) induced loss of nigro-striatal dopamine neurons, as indicated by striatal dopamine content, tyrosine hydroxylase content and tyrosine hydroxylase activity. It is suggested that the neuroprotective effect of (R)-apomorphine against MPTP neurotoxicity derives from its radical scavenging and MAO inhibitory actions and not from its agonistic activity, since the mechanism of MPTP dopaminergic neurotoxicity involves the generation of oxygen radical species induced-oxidative stress.

Animals↗

Studies on interactions between conditioned and unconditioned behavioural responses to apomorphine in rats.

Interactions between the direct (unconditioned) behavioural effects apomorphine and its conditioned effects after pairing with previously neutral stimuli were studied. Rats were injected once daily for 3-12 times, with apomorphine (2.0 mg/kg or 0.5 mg/kg or 0.07 mg/kg s.c. the dose kept constant in each series), in the presence of defined environmental stimuli (a wire cage in association with an acoustic and an olfactory stimulus) as conditional stimuli. The two larger doses produced stereotyped sniffing, licking, and gnawing, the smallest dose akinesia, ptosis, yawning and penile erections. During the conditioning phase, the drug produced most of the effects with increasing intensity and in the case of the stereotypies, there also was a shift to higher scores of stereotypy, with a reduced latency in onset of the signs. On the test day, 1 day after the last administration of apomorphine, the conditioned rats as well as "pseudoconditioned" controls were treated with a test dose of apomorphine in the presence of the conditional stimuli. Pseudoconditioned rats had been treated with the same pharmacological schedule of apomorphine and had the same familiarity with the stimuli, but both were kept separate. A test dose of 0.5 mg/kg of apomorphine produced stereotypies with a significantly higher score and shorter latency in onset in conditioned than in pseudoconditioned rats. Rats conditioned with the lowest dose showed a significantly longer total duration and a shorter latency in onset of akinesia and ptosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Effect of the dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine on sensory input.

The study examines the hypothesis that changes in behavioural responsiveness induced by apomorphine reflect an effect of the drug on visual, tactile, vestibular, or proprioceptive sensory input. Rats were injected with apomorphine (1.25 mg/kg) and administered a neurological examination in which stimuli from the different sensory modalities were tested for their ability to elicit a limb placing response. Results indicate that these sensory stimuli were equally effective in eliciting reflex placing reactions in saline- and apomorphine-treated rats. Thus, contrary to the hypothesis, apomorphine does not appear to affect the reception of visual, tactile, vestibular, or proprioceptive sensory input. Tests of equilibration (righting) induced by static tilt revealed a fractionated response under apomorphine (0.6-5 mg/kg). Since the response to tilt probably involves striatal integration of vestibular and proprioceptive input, it is suggested that apomorphine disrupts sensory or sensorimotor integration.

Animals↗

Time course of rat motility response to apomorphine: a simple model for studying preferential blockade of brain dopamine receptors mediating sedation.

The present work proposes a simple behavioral method for studying the ability of certain neuroleptics to block preferentially dopamine receptors subserving sedation. The model is based on the temporally biphasic motor response induced in rats by a single critical dose of apomorphine. It was chosen from a preliminary apomorphine dose-response study which showed that the same doses between 6.25 and 625 micrograms/kg affected rat motility differently according to whether the animals were "naive" or "familiarized" to the apparatus for 90 min before administering the drug. When the motility response of naive rats to 300 micrograms/kg of apomorphine was recorded immediately after SC injection, an initial (1--5 min) inhibition and a subsequent (20--45 min) stimulation of motility were obtained. (--)-Sulpiride (1.25--50 mg/kg) was found to be approximately 6-fold more effective in counteracting the apomorphine inhibition than stimulation of locomotion. Haloperidol (0.005--0.1 mg/kg) incompletely antagonized apomorphine inhibition and markedly blocked stimulation, which suggests that it has no preferential activity on dopamine receptors subserving sedation. The results were in accordance with those obtained by other authors with different paradigms, and indicated that the time course of the rat motility response to a single dose of apomorphine may constitute a useful model for detecting selective influences on different dopamine receptors.

Animals↗

Interaction of apomorphine and haloperidol: effects on locomotion and other behaviour in the marmoset.

The behavioural effects of increasing doses of apomorphine and haloperidol were observed in a group of six marmosets. Behaviour was classified quantitatively into categories: Locomotion, inactivity, checking (small head movements), social interaction and purposeful activities. Statistical analysis revealed that apomorphine had a stimulant effect on checking and locomotion which could be antagonized by haloperidol. Activities and social contact were severly reduced by both apomorphine and haloperidol. Inactivity was increased by the lowest dose of apomorphine in otherwise untreated animals. It is suggested that haloperidol antagonizes the stimulant effects of apomorphine but is synergistic to its suppressant effects, and that the low dose effect of apomorphine on inactivity is mediated by a mechanism which may be different from that acted upon by haloperidol.

Animals↗

Apomorphine anorexia: a behavioural and neuropharmacological analysis.

Anorectic effects of apomorphine were studied in a microstructural analysis paradigm. Low doses of apomorphine (less than 0.1 mg/kg SC) reduced food intake, by reducing both the rate of eating and eating time. The neuroleptics haloperidol and thioridazine blocked the effect of apomorphine on eating time, but not on eating rate. Anorectic effects elicited by apomorphine administration to the ventral tegmental area and, to a lesser extent, the substantia nigra were mediated by a selective reduction of eating time. Effects of apomorphine on eating time appear to result from an action at presynaptic dopamine receptors; the mechanism of the effect of apomorphine on eating rate is unclear.

Animals↗

Antagonism of hypothermia and behavioral response to apomorphine: a simple, rapid and discriminating test for screening antidepressants and neuroleptics.

The antagonism of hypothermia induced by two doses of apomorphine (1 to 16 mg/kg) is proposed as an improved screening test for both neuroleptics and antidepressants. Low dose apomorphine-induced hypothermia (1 mg/kg) differentiates sulpiride-like neuroleptics (which better antagonize this effect of apomorphine than other effects such as stereotyped behavior) from haloperidol-like drugs. The latter equally antagonize the two effects of apomorphine. The effects of sulpiride are also distinct from those of chlorpromazine-like drugs which strongly antagonize stereotyped behavior, but not hypothermia induced by apomorphine. Hypothermia induced by a high dose of apomorphine (16 mg/kg) is not antagonized by neuroleptics, but is strongly antagonized by antidepressants (imipramine-like drugs, amineptine, amoxapine, nomifensine, viloxazine) and potential antidepressants (beta-adrenergic stimulants). The use of these two tests rapidly screens both antidepressants and neuroleptics and classifies neuroleptics according to their profile of action on the dopaminergic system.

Animals↗

Catecholamine synthesis in rat brain after axotomy: interaction between apomorphine and haloperidol.

Axotomy of the ascending monoaminergic fibers by means of a complete cerebral hemitransection stimulated the formation of dopa during 30 min after inhibition of the aromatic amino acid decarboxylase with 3-hydroxybenzylhydrazine HCl, 100 mg/kg i.p., in c. striatum and the dopamine-rich part of the limbic system. Apomorphine, 0.5 mg/kg i.p., antagonized the accumulation of dopa not only on the intact but also on the lesioned side. Haloperidol, 2 mg/kg i.p., stimulated dopa accumulation on the intact side but could not further stimulate the increase in dopa caused by transection. When both drugs were given together, the inhibitory effect of apomorphine was fully counteracted by haloperidol on both sides. In the predominantly noradrenaline-innervated occipito-temporal cortex dopa formation was slightly higher on the lesioned than on the intact side and was not markedly influenced by apomorphine. In the rest of the hemispheres the apomorphine-induced decrease in dopa formation was more pronounced on the intact than on the lesioned side and was fully antagonized by haloperidol. The dopamine concentration was slightly higher in the lesioned c. striatum as compared to the intact side irrespective of the drugs administered. In c. striatum and the limbic system haloperidol caused a decrease in dopamine on the intact side which was not antagonized by additional treatment with apomorphine. Hemitransection caused a decrease in noradrenaline especially in the hemisphere portion. Neither apomorphine nor haloperidol or both drugs in combination changed the latter effect. In general, the tyrosine concentration tended to be higher on the lesioned than on the intact side in all brain structures investigated. The data support the view that a local receptor-mediated feedback mechanism exists which is controlling dopamine synthesis even in the absence of impulse flow.

Animals↗

Diazepam attenuates the antagonism of haloperidol against apomorphine-induced stereotypic behavior after subchronic but not acute treatment in rats.

Apomorphine-induced stereotypic behavior was investigated in rats treated with diazepam or haloperidol and with the combination of both drugs in a one day trial or subchronically. The drugs were administered via the drinking water. Diazepam dose-dependently reduced apomorphine stereotypies after the subchronic (6 days) but not after the acute treatment. Haloperidol suppressed apomorphine-induced stereotypic behavior dose-dependently after acute as well as after subchronic administration apparently without the development of tolerance. This discrepancy to other studies may be explained by the concomitant increase in maximum number of D2-receptors in the striatum. The apomorphine antagonistic effect of haloperidol was attenuated when the neuroleptic was administered subchronically in combination with the benzodiazepine. This finding was unexpected since both drugs reduced apomorphine-induced stereotypic behavior when administered alone. The further increase in maximum number of D2-receptors due to combined treatment with low doses of diazepam, suggesting a sort of "over adaptation", possibly explains the haloperidol-antagonistic action of diazepam in the behavioral experiments. Binding studies on dopamine (D1), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT2) and benzodiazepine receptors revealed that modification of the apomorphine-induced stereotypies by the combined treatment with haloperidol and diazepam cannot be explained by interactions of the drugs at the level of the D1, 5-HT2 or benzodiazepine-receptors.

Animals↗

Interactions of morphine with apomorphine: behavioural and biochemical studies.

The interactions of morphine with the agonist at dopamine receptors apomorphine were studied on the behavioural and biochemical level. Apomorphine (0.5 mg/kg s.c.) produced stereotyped sniffing and some licking behaviour. Pretreatment with morphine enhanced licking behaviour and, in addition, produced some gnawing behaviour, a sign which is seen after a larger dose of apomorphine alone as well. This enhancement by morphine was maximal after 3.3 mg/kg i.p. and less pronounced after smaller or larger doses of morphine; naloxone (1 mg/kg i.p.) antagonized the enhancement. Morphine did not affect the decrease in the concentration of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) produced by apomorphine in striatum and nucleus accumbens. In contrast, morphine increased the concentration of 3-methoxytyramine (3-MT) in both areas after pretreatment with pargyline (75 mg/kg i.p.), suggesting that it increased the release of dopamine, which might explain the enhancement of apomorphine-induced stereotyped behaviour. The enhancement by morphine of stereotyped behaviour produced by lisuride (2 or 4 mg/kg i.p.), another agonist at dopamine receptors, was much less pronounced than on apomorphine-induced stereotypies.

Animals↗

Effect of the D1 receptor agonist SKF 38393 on some behavioural effects of apomorphine in rats.

The dopamine receptor agonist apomorphine in experiments on rats in low doses (0.025-0.2 mg/kg, s.c.) induced yawning which reflected a selective activation of presynaptic dopamine receptors. In high doses (0.25-1.0 mg/kg) apomorphine induced stereotyped sniffing and yawning in consequence of postsynaptic D2 receptor activation. Dopamine D1 receptor agonist SKF 38393 inhibited yawning induced by low doses of apomorphine. The inhibitory effect of SKF 38393 on apomorphine-induced yawning was attenuated by pretreatment with specific D1 receptor antagonist SCH 23390 [2-(+)-8-chloro-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine-7-ol). On the other hand however, SKF 38393 potentiated sniffing induced by the high doses of apomorphine without affecting gnawing. These data indicate that D1 receptor activation modulates both pre- and postsynaptic effects of apomorphine in opposite directions.

2,3,4,5-Tetrahydro-7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-1H-3-ben↗

Adenosine A2 receptor regulation of apomorphine-induced turning in rats with unilateral striatal dopamine denervation.

The ipsilateral intrastriatal administration of the specific adenosine A2a receptor agonist, 2-[p-(2-carboxyethyl)phenethylamino]-5'-N-ethylcarboxamido adenosine (CGS 21680), produced a dose related decrease in apomorphine-induced rotation in the unilaterally 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rat. This effect could be reversed by intrastriatal infusions of the A2a antagonist, 4-amino-1-phenyl[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxaline (CP 66,713). However, CP 66,713 had no significant effect when infused alone, neither did it influence the response to apomorphine in the absence of CGS 21680. The possible behavioural interactions between A2a receptors and striatal ACh activity were also investigated using this model. Atropine administered intrastriatally in a dose that had no effect on the response to apomorphine reduced the inhibitory effects of CGS 21680 on apomorphine-induced turning. Naloxone also reduced the effects of apomorphine, an effect which could be prevented by the co-administration of atropine, or CP 66,713. These results indicate that adenosine agonists can modulate apomorphine-induced turning by an interaction with both cholinergic and opioidergic mechanisms in the striatum.

Acetylcholine↗

Differential involvement of voltage-dependent calcium channels in apomorphine-induced hypermotility and stereotypy.

The involvement of the voltage-dependent calcium channel in behavioral effects of apomorphine was tested in naive rats and in animals which were morphine-abstinent or were subjected to chronic electroconvulsive treatment (ECS). In naive rats a calcium channel blocker, nifedipine, which by itself does not affect locomotor activity, inhibited the locomotor stimulation induced by apomorphine, while it facilitated stereotyped behavior. Morphine-abstinent and ECS-treated rats displayed elevated responsiveness to apomorphine, reflected by hypermotility and stereotyped behavior after a dose of 1 mg/kg IP that does not produce overt behavioral effects in naive animals. Nifedipine, 5 mg/kg IP, significantly reduced hypermotility produced by apomorphine in morphine abstinent or ECS-treated rats. The calcium channel blocker did not, however, antagonize enhanced stereotyped behavior. The results indicate that apomorphine hypermotility is controlled by dihydropyridine calcium channels and that enhancement of calcium channel density produced by morphine abstinence and by chronic ECS potentiates the hypermotility response. Calcium channels seem to be differently involved in control of apomorphine-induced hypermotility and stereotypy.

Animals↗

Post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptor involvement in yawning and penile erections induced by apomorphine, physostigmine and mCPP in rats.

Apomorphine and mCPP induced yawning associated with penile erections in rats, whereas physostigmine induced only yawns. Apomorphine-induced yawning and penile erections were antagonized by low doses of raclopride, whereas physostigmine-induced yawning and mCPP-induced effects were only partly inhibited at high doses of raclopride. Scopolamine as well as clozapine antagonized yawning and penile erections induced by apomorphine, mCPP and physostigmine. Similarly, the 5-HT1A agonists 8-OH-DPAT and S 14506 inhibited yawning and penile erections induced by apomorphine, mCPP and physostigmine, and at similar doses induced lower lip retraction and hyperreactivity to handling. The beta/5-HT1A antagonist tertatolol reversed the inhibitory effects of 8-OH-DPAT and S 14506 on drug-induced yawning and penile erections and increased apomorphine- and physostigmine-induced yawn frequency but not penile erection frequency. Like tertatolol, propranolol increased apomorphine- and physostigmine-induced yawn frequency, whereas ICI 118551 increased only physostigmine-induced yawning. 8-OH-DPAT- and S 14506-induced lower lip retraction and hyperreactivity to handling were also significantly antagonized by tertatolol. Finally, p-chlorophenylalanine pretreatment produced about 95% depletion in 5-HT in hypothalamus, hippocampus, striatum and frontal cortex and modified neither the responses of the inducing drugs nor the inhibitory effects of 8-OH-DPAT and S 14506 on drug-induced yawning and penile erections.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex using visual and auditory prepulses: disruption by apomorphine.

The amplitude of the acoustic startle reflex can be reduced reliably when preceded at short intervals by a weak stimulus (prepulse) which itself does not elicit startle. The magnitude of this prepulse inhibition effect is attenuated by several dopamine agonists, such as apomorphine, especially when there is a relatively small difference between the intensity of the prepulse and the intensity of the background noise over which the prepulse is superimposed. One goal of the present experiment was to test the generality of this disruptive effect of apomorphine on prepulse inhibition by using either an auditory prepulse that included both a change in intensity and a change in frequency relative to the background noise or a visual prepulse stimulus. Apomorphine reduced auditory prepulse inhibition when induced by a small change in stimulus intensity, but not when induced by a change in both intensity and frequency. Apomorphine consistently reduced visual prepulse inhibition with a complete blockade at 100-ms test interval. However, it did not fully block the usual reduction in startle onset latency or even attenuate the increase in startle amplitude when a visual prepulse was presented 5, 10 or 15 ms before the startle stimulus. Consistent with conclusions from other laboratories using auditory prepulse inhibition, these data suggest that apomorphine did not prevent the animal from detecting prepulse presentation under conditions where the drug completely blocked prepulse inhibition. Moreover, they indicate that the blockade of prepulse inhibition by apomorphine was independent of prepulse modality, adding generality to the original finding. Visual prepulse inhibition may be a useful alternative procedure for evaluating the effects of drugs on this attentional process.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

Betamethasone does not prevent nausea and vomiting induced by the dopamine-agonist apomorphine.

PURPOSE: The mechanism of the antiemetic actions of corticosteroids is not known. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if betamethasone can prevent nausea, vomiting or increase of vasopressin induced by apomorphine. Metoclopramide, a dopamine antagonist, was used as a control substance. METHODS: Ten healthy volunteers were studied on three occasions. In a randomized order they were allocated to receive pretreatment with betamethasone 8 mg iv, metoclopramide 10 mg iv, and normal saline 2 mL as placebo on the three different occasions, 15 min before the administration of apomorphine 30 microg x kg(-1) s.c.. After administration of apomorphine, episodes of vomiting were recorded, and the intensity of nausea was estimated by the subject on a visual analogue scale (VAS 0-10 cm). Blood samples for analysis of plasma concentrations of vasopressin were analyzed. RESULTS: One volunteer decided to withdraw, as he experienced akathisia after receiving metoclopramide. During the first two hours after apomorphine, eight of nine volunteers vomited both after betamethasone and placebo. One volunteer did not vomit after betamethasone and placebo but he experienced nausea. None of the volunteers vomited after metoclopramide (P < 0.01 vs betamethasone and placebo). The maximum VAS for nausea was significantly higher after betamethasone and placebo compared to metoclopramide (P < 0.01). The vasopressin levels increased after betamethasone and placebo, but there was no increase in any volunteer after pretreatment with metoclopramide. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that betamethasone does not prevent nausea, vomiting and increase of vasopressin induced by apomorphine, whereas metoclopramide prevents apomorphine-induced emesis. Our work suggests that betamethasone does not have dopamine-antagonistic effects.

Adult↗