Involvement of dopamine in the antinociceptive response to footshock

The effects of drugs which alter dopaminergic function on footshock-induced antinociception were studied in the rat. Antinociception due to brief (30 s) footshock was inversely related to dopamine (DA). Thus, it was increased by the DA receptor antagonists pimozide and haloperidol and decreased by the specific D2 dopamine receptor agonist LY 141865, but not by the specific D1 agonist SKF 38393. Although pimozide increased the antinociceptive effect of 30-s shock, it decreased that of 30-min shock. It is suggested that DA may have physiological roles in stress-induced antinociception, and that these may differ according to the duration of stress.