Effects of morphine dependence and withdrawal on levels of neurosteroids in rat brain |
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Authors: | Yan Cai-Zhen Hou Yan-Ning |
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Affiliation: | BathuneInternationalPeaceHospital,HebeiMedicalUniversity,Shijiazhuang050082,China |
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Abstract: | AIM: To investigate the effects of morphine dependence and withdrawal on the concentrations of neurosteroids in rat brain. METHODS: A method of simultaneous quantification of neurosteroids by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) had been established. RESULTS: The chronic morphine administration (ip) resulted in a marked decrease in the brain concentrations of pregnenolone (PREG), progesterone (PROG), and pregenenolone sulfate (PREGS) in rats killed 6 h after the last treatment. In contrast, there were no significant effects of morphine dependence on the brain concentrations of allopregnanolone (AP), dihydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and dihydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS). Naloxone-induced withdrawal produced a significant increase in the concentrations of PREG, PROG, AP, DHEA, PREGS, and DHEAS as compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: Morphine dependence and withdrawal affected the concentrations of neurosteroids in rat brain, which suggests that endogenous neurosteroids in brain might be related to the development of morphine dependence and withdrawal. |
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Keywords: | morphine dependence withdrawal steroids mass fragmentography |
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