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Updated: Jun 30, 2025

Polygraphic Recording Procedure for Measuring Sleep in Mice
Published on: January 25, 2016
Melatonin attenuates fentanyl - induced behavioral sensitization and circadian rhythm disorders in mice
Kaili Du1, Qianwen Shi2, Xiuya Zhou3
1Department of Pathology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; School of Forensic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China; School of Basic Medicine, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China.
Abstract:
Melatonin is a neurohormone synthesized by the pineal gland to regulate the circadian rhythms and has proven to be effective in treating drug addiction and dependence. However, the effects of melatonin to modulate the drug-seeking behavior of fentanyl and its underlying molecular mechanism is elusive. This study was designed to investigate the effects of melatonin on fentanyl - induced behavioral sensitization and circadian rhythm disorders in mice. The accompanying changes in the expression of Brain and Muscle Arnt-Like (BMAL1), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) in relevant brain regions including the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), nucleus accumbens (NAc), prefrontal cortex (PFC), and hippocampus (Hip) were investigated by western blot assays to dissect the mechanism by which melatonin modulates fentanyl - induced behavioral sensitization and circadian rhythm disorders. The present study suggest that fentanyl (0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg) could induce behavioral sensitization and melatonin (30.0 mg/kg) could attenuate the behavioral sensitization and circadian rhythm disorders in mice. Fentanyl treatment reduced the expression of BMAL1 and MAO-A and increased that of TH in relevant brain regions. Furthermore, melatonin treatment could reverse the expression levels of BMAL1, MAO-A, and TH. In conclusion, our study demonstrate for the first time that melatonin has therapeutic potential for fentanyl addiction.
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