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Biomedical subjects

R F Ritzmann

Publications and source records attributed to R F Ritzmann.

52 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Brain noradrenergic systems as a prerequisite for developing tolerance to barbiturates.

Mice treated with 6-hydroxydopamine before they were chronically fed phenobarbital did not develop functional barbiturate tolerance, measured by duration of the loss of righting reflex and hypothermia. Injection of 6-hydroxydopamine caused significant depletion of brain norepinephrine, while brain dopamine levels were not significantly depleted. Intact brain noradrenergic systems seem to be necessary for developing tolerance to the hypnotic and hypothermic effects of the barbiturates.

Animals↗

Inhibition by Z-Pro-D-Leu of development of tolerance to and physical dependence on morphine in mice.

The peptide-Z-Pro-D-Leu, injected daily in mice receiving morphine chronically, was found to prevent development of physical dependence as measured by changes in body temperature and body weight due either to abrupt or to naloxone-induced withdrawal. On the other hand, administration of Z-Pro-D-Leu only on the last day of morphine treatment did not alter the overt signs of withdrawal. Daily administration of Z-Pro-D-Leu was also effective in blocking the development of tolerance to the analgesic and the hypothermic effects of subsequent challenge doses of morphine. However, the peptide treatment did not alter the acute effects of a challenge dose of morphine on either analgesia or body temperature. No effects on memory were noted, as evaluated in a one-trial passive avoidance task. Clinical implications of the use of Z-Pro-D-Leu are discussed.

Animals↗

Corticosterone concentrations in mice during ethanol drinking and withdrawal.

Consumption of an ethanol-containing diet by mice resulted in a significant increase in circulating concentrations of corticosterone which was maintained for 8 days. There were no changes in the concentrations of plasma corticosterone binding globulin. Ethanol withdrawal symptoms followed the removal of ethanol from the diet and circulating corticosterone concentrations were further increased. There was no correlation between blood ethanol and glucocorticoid concentrations during the chronic ethanol treatment. Stress related to ethanol consumption may be of greater importance than the circulating ethanol concentrations in producing the elevation in plasma glucocorticoids.

Alcoholism↗

Role of catecholamines in the development of tolerance to barbiturates and ethanol.

The destruction of noradrenergic systems in brain by administration of 6-hydroxydopamine prior to chronic ethanol treatment prevented the development of tolerance to ethanol. Animals pretreated with 6-hydroxy dopamine also showed no cross tolerance to barbiturates. Destruction of noradrenergic systems prior to chronic treatment with barbiturates also partially prevented the development of tolerance to pentobarbital. 6-Hydroxydopamine pretreatment had little effect on the signs of physical dependence produced by ethanol. The possible dissociation of tolerance and dependence and the role of noradrenergic systems in these phenomena is discussed.

Animals↗

The effects of 6-hydroxydopamine on tolerance to and dependence on ethanol.

The intraventricular administration of 6-hydroxydopamine before chronic ethanol exposure prevented the development of tolerance to the hypnotic and hypothermic effects of ethanol as well as cross-tolerance to barbiturates. The injection of 6-hydroxydopamine depleted brain norepinephrine but had little effect on levels of dopamine and serotonin. Although mice pretreated with 6-hydroxydopamine did not develop tolerance to ethanol, they exhibited signs of physical dependence after chronic treatment with ethanol. If 6-hydroxydopamine was administered after tolerance to ethanol was established, the destruction of noradrenergic neurons had little effect in disrupting the tolerance. Noradrenergic systems may be necessary for the "consolidation" but not the expression of tolerance.

Alcoholism↗

Body temperature in mice: a quantitative measure of alcohol tolerance and physical dependence.

Mice undergoing withdrawal after chronic ethanol consumption were found to be hypothermic if kept at room temperature. The extent of the hypothermia correlated well with the behavioral withdrawal symptoms and could be used as a quantitative measure of the severity and time course of the withdrawal syndrome. Placing mice in a cold environment (4 degrees C) exacerbated the hypothermia whereas placing animals at 34 degrees C reversed the hypothermia and produced hyperthermia. It was concluded that the temperature set point mechanism and the ability to regulate around this set point was disturbed in animals physically dependent on alcohol. During consumption of the ethanol-containing diets, mice exhibited tolerance to the hypothermic effects of an acutely administered dose od ethanol. Tolerance to the hypothermic effects of ethanol mirrored the development of behavioral tolerance as measured by performance on a tilting plane. Temperature and behavioral tolerance were both shown to extend well beyond the period of the withdrawal syndrome. Ethanol-treated mice were found to be cross-tolerant to the hypothermic effects of barbiturates but not to the hypothermia produced by the monoamine oxidase inhibitor, pargyline.

Animals↗

Peptide inhibition of morphine-induced dopaminergic supersensitivity.

Injection of the peptide cyclo(Leu-Gly) into rats prior to chronic exposure to morphine, inhibits: 1) the development of analgesic tolerance; 2) some signs of physical dependence; and, 3) morphine-induced increases in behavioral responses to dopamine agonists. Although there was no change in the total number of high affinity striatal dopamine receptors, chronic morphine treatment did increase the affinity of the ligand at the receptor. The peptide blocked not only the affinity change, but the increased behavioral response to apomorphine as well. These behavioral changes correlate significantly with the neurochemical changes in dopamine receptors following chronic morphine treatment. Therefore, some of the pharmacological efforts of morphine may be mediated by changes in CNS dopamine receptors and that the peptides may act by inhibiting these neurochemical changes.

Analgesia↗

Cyclo(Leu-Gly) has opposite effects on D-2 dopamine receptors in different brain areas.

Cyclo(Leu-Gly) (cLG), a diketopiperazine analog of Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2 (MIF), affects a number of physiological and behavioral responses to the endogenous neurotransmitter, dopamine (DA). In the present series of experiments, the effect of in vivo administration of cLG (8 mg/kg) was investigated five days following subcutaneous administration. It was found that cLG administration of cLG (8 mg/kg) was investigated five days following subcutaneous administration. It was found that cLG administration caused a supersensitive behavioral response, measured by increased stereotypic sniffing, to the DA agonist, apomorphine (APO). At the same time, an increase was found in the affinity for dopamine (DA), as measured by dopamine inhibition of 3H-spiroperidol binding to D-2 DA receptors in striatum (nigro-striatal DA tract). In contrast, the same peptide treatment caused a subsensitive physiological response to APO-induced hypothermia, concomitant with a decrease in affinity for dopamine, as measured by DA inhibition of 3H-spiroperidol binding to D-2 DA receptors in hypothalamus (incerto-hypothalamic DA tract). These results suggest that a single neuromodulatory agent, the peptide cLG, can elicit diametrically opposite effects on D-2 DA receptors and on the corresponding physiological endpoints in two different brain areas.

Animals↗

Acute tolerance in inbred and selected lines of mice.

Mice of the C57Bl and C3H strains regained their righting reflex at higher brain ethanol levels than those at which they had lost their righting reflex, indicating that these animals developed acute tolerance. DBA mice did not develop acute tolerance. DBA mice "slept" significantly longer than C57Bl mice, but all mice lost their righting reflex at similar brain ethanol levels. Mice of SS and LS lines also showed no evidence for developing acute tolerance but differed significantly in brain ethanol levels upon loss of righting reflex. Both acute tolerance development and initial brain sensitivity to ethanol seem to determine duration of ethanol "sleep time" in mice.

Animals↗

A low dose of ethanol impairs working memory in mice in a win-shift foraging paradigm.

Using a test of working memory which is not influenced by learning, the win-shift foraging paradigm, ethanol was found to produce amnesia in mice. This effect was produced by very low doses of ethanol, 0.5 and 1.5 g/kg, which did not alter motivation as measured by latency to leave the start box. These doses of ethanol also did not alter performance in the maze as measured by the time to traverse the maze. These data indicate that low doses of ethanol directly impair working memory--that is, the effects are not due to an alteration in learning. The win-shift foraging paradigm, which is free of some of the problems inherent in passive avoidance paradigms, may be useful in exploring the mechanism of this effect of ethanol.

Amnesia↗