Nociceptin attenuates the escalation of oxycodone self-administration by normalizing CeA-GABA transmission in highly addicted rats.

ABSTRACT: Approximately 25% of patients who are prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them, and 5 to 10% develop an opioid use disorder. Although the neurobiological target of opioids is well known, the molecular mechanisms that are responsible for the development of addiction-like behaviors in some but not all individuals are poorly known. To address this issue, we used a unique outbred rat population (heterogeneous stock) that better models the behavioral and genetic diversity that is found in humans. We characterized individual differences in addiction-like behaviors using an addiction index that incorporates the key criteria of opioid use disorder: escalated intake, highly motivated responding, and hyperalgesia. Using in vitro electrophysiological recordings in the central nucleus of the am

SUBMITTER: Kallupi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6994987 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature