Dopamine partial agonist reverses amphetamine withdrawal in rats

Neuropsychopharmacology. 2001 Nov;25(5):789-92. doi: 10.1016/S0893-133X(01)00270-6.

Abstract

Decreased motivation to work for a natural reward is a sign of amphetamine withdrawal and is thought to be associated with hypofunction of the mesolimbic dopamine system. During withdrawal from repeated amphetamine administration, rats showed reduced responding for a sweet solution in a progressive ratio schedule. Repeated systemic treatment with terguride (0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg, i.p.) twice daily during the first four days of amphetamine withdrawal reversed the decrease in responding for the sweet solution. These results suggest that dopamine partial agonists, possibly due to their agonistic-like actions under these conditions, are a potential therapeutic approach for the acute withdrawal stage of the amphetamine addition cycle.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amphetamine / adverse effects*
  • Animals
  • Conditioning, Operant / drug effects
  • Dopamine Agonists / therapeutic use*
  • Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / adverse effects*
  • Lisuride / analogs & derivatives*
  • Lisuride / therapeutic use
  • Male
  • Motivation
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / psychology

Substances

  • Dopamine Agonists
  • Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors
  • dironyl
  • Amphetamine
  • Lisuride