Year: 2010
Type: article
Abstract: Anxiety disorders affect roughly 40 million American adults in a given year. Those suffering from anxiety disorders often experience additional stress-linked illnesses, such as depression. This study examined the role of the kappa opioid system in regulating stress-related behavior. Behavioral stress responses were examined in male Wistar rats using the elevated plus-maze following i.p. administration of opioid agonist U-50,488 (0 or 10 mg/kg). Subjects were pretreated with the kappa opioid antagonist nor-binaltorphimine (nor-BNI) prior to testing in the elevated plus-maze (0 or 20 mg/kg). Injections of 10 mg/kg U-50,488 significantly decreased percent open arm time compared to controls and was reversed by pretreatment with 20 mg/kg nor-BNI (F(1,44) = 6.10, p < 0.05). The results indicate a relationship between kappa opioid receptors and stress-related behaviors.
Author: Erin Harshberger
Language: English
Subfield: Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1552844612