Quantitative EEG and autonomic patterns of synthetic peptides related to dermorphin

Neuropsychobiology. 1992;26(1-2):81-8. doi: 10.1159/000118900.

Abstract

The effects of dermorphin on EEG and autonomic variables are compared with the effects of 2 analogues and 2 homologues, all administered intracerebroventricularly in the rabbit. Dermorphin was the most effective in modifying all considered parameters: increase of cortically derived and calculated total power, bradycardia, respiratory depression and hypothermia. The dibenzylated heptapeptide was essentially inactive. The electrocortical pattern induced by the administration of L-dermorphin suggests a functional correlation between the amino acid D-ala 2 and the effects on EEG. Comparison between the effects produced by the N-terminal tetrapeptide and pentapeptide led us to hypothesize that amino acid Tyr 5 may be specifically involved in inducing the autonomic effects.

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics, Opioid / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Autonomic Nervous System / drug effects*
  • Body Temperature Regulation / drug effects
  • Cerebral Cortex / drug effects
  • Electroencephalography / drug effects*
  • Electroencephalography / instrumentation
  • Evoked Potentials / drug effects
  • Heart Rate / drug effects
  • Oligopeptides / pharmacology*
  • Opioid Peptides
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Rabbits
  • Respiration / drug effects
  • Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted / instrumentation*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Analgesics, Opioid
  • Oligopeptides
  • Opioid Peptides
  • Peptides
  • dermorphin