Evidence that physical dependence on morphine is mediated by the ventral midbrain

Rats were given daily injections of increasing doses of morphine sulfate (40-100 mg/kg, s.c.), for 4 days. Twenty hours after the last injection of morphine, the animals received bilateral injections of naloxone (1-10 micrograms) into the substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area or sites 2 mm rostral, caudal or dorsal to the site in the nigra. Withdrawal signs were monitored for 20 min after the intracerebral injection. Naloxone administered into the nigra in morphine-dependent rats produced dose-dependent significant increases in wet dog shakes, irritability to touch, teeth chattering, diarrhea and locomotion, compared to morphine-dependent animals that received injections of saline into the nigra. The injection of naloxone (3 micrograms) into the ventral tegmental area of morphine-dependent animals, produced irritability to touch and diarrhea, compared to morphine-dependent controls that received saline in this region of the brain. Significant differences in withdrawal signs were observed between morphine-dependent animals, that received injections of naloxone (3 micrograms) into the nigra and those that received naloxone (3 micrograms) into the ventral tegmental area or rostral or caudal sites. No differences between the substantia nigra and the dorsal sites were observed. However, withdrawal symptoms were produced by injections of naloxone into the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area, even when the guide cannulae were angled to avoid penetration of sites dorsal to these regions of the brain. Naloxone, injected into the ventral midbrain of non-dependent animals, produced no signs of withdrawal. These studies suggest that the ventral midbrain mediates physical dependence on morphine.