Limited involvement of central noradrenergic pathways in morphine-induced antinociception

Lesioning of cerebral and spinal noradrenergic terminals by the neurotoxin DSP4 (50 mg/kg, 7 days prior to testing) significantly attenuated the effect of morphine (2.5-7.5 mg/kg) in rats tested with the hot-plate test. The effect of DSP4 was prevented by pretreatment with the selective inhibitor of uptake of NA, desipramine. Treatment with DSP4 did not attenuate the effect of morphine (5 mg/kg) in the flinch-jump and tail-flick tests, and did not by itself change the nociceptive thresholds in any of the tests. It is concluded that noradrenergic structures in the central nervous system play a limited role in analgesia induced by morphine.