Nitric oxide mediation of morphine-induced place preference in the nucleus accumbens of rat

In the present study, the effects of intra-nucleus accumbens injection of L-arginine, a nitric oxide (NO) precursor, and N-G-nitro-Larginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, on morphine-induced conditioned place preference in male Wistar rats were investigated. Our data showed that subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of morphine sulphate (0.5-10 mg/kg) significantly increased the time spent in the drug-paired compartment in a dose-dependent manner. Intra-accumbens administration of L-arginine (0.03 and 0.05 mug/rat) with an ineffective dose of morphine (0.5 mg/kg) elicited significant conditioned place preference, while intra-accumbens administration of L-NAME (0.3, 0.1 and 1 mug/rat) decreased the acquisition of conditioned place preference induced by morphine (7.5 mg/kg). The response to different doses of L-arginine was decreased by L-NAME (0.03 mug/rat). L-Arginine and L-NAME by themselves did not elicit any effect on place conditioning. Intra-accumbens administration of L-arginine but not L-NAME significantly decreased the expression of morphine (7.5 mg/kg)-induced place preference. The attenuation of already established morphine-induced place preference on the test day by L-arginine was inhibited by L-NAME. The results indicate that NO may be involved in the acquisition and expression of morphine-induced place preference. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.