The involvement of an opiate mechanism in the sensitized behavioral deficit induced by early chronic variable stress: influence of desipramine

The influence of early chronic variable stress (CVS) associated with persistent desipramine (DMI) administration was examined on escape performance. Animals were exposed to CVS and 1 day later administered DMI (5 mg/kg, i.p. twice a day) or vehicle (VH) during six consecutive days. Escape performance was assessed over 24 h following inescapable shock (IS) exposure. Higher escape failures were observed in CVS shocked rats compared with unstressed shocked animals. DMI normalized escape failures in both groups. In order to investigate the role of an endogenous opiate mechanism presumably activated by CVS exposure in this behavioral deficit, rats were administered naltrexone (NAL, 2 mg/kg i.p.) or VH prior to each daily stressor of the CVS regime. NAL pretreatment blocked escape failures performed only by CVS shocked rats. In addition, animals were daily administered morphine (MOR, 10 mg/kg, i.p.) or VH during seven consecutive days and subsequently administered DMI. A significant increase in escape deficit in shocked rats was observed after chronic MOR but not following the associated treatment with MOR and DMI. These behavioral data suggest that early experience with a CVS facilitated the onset of escape deficit induced by a brief IS event, an effect that can be prevented by chronic DMI. Furthermore, this sensitized escape deficit response seems to be partially modulated by the previous activation of an opiate mechanism.