Tolerance develops to spinal morphine analgesia but not morphine-induced convulsions

Administration of morphine into the spinal intrathecal (i.t.) space produced dose-dependent analgesia in the mouse. At higher doses i.t. morphine induced seizures of the hindlimbs. Mice treated chronically with morphine (75 mg pellet, s.c.) for 72 h were tolerant to the analgesic effects of i.t. morphine, but not to the proconvulsant action. Spinal morphine analgesia was attenuated by naloxone, whereas i.t. morphine-induced seizures were not. These results indicate that spinal opioid receptors mediate analgesia but not seizures following i.t. morphine treatment in the mouse.