REGIONAL DEPENDENCE OF MORPHINE-INDUCED MU-OPIATE RECEPTOR DOWN-REGULATION IN PERINATAL RAT-BRAIN

The effect of perinatal morphine administration was examined in various brain regions using in vitro receptor autoradiography. Morphine was administered by continuous s.c. infusion of 10 mg/kg per day; brains of offspring were examined at five days of age. Morphine exposure reduced mu-receptor binding density in the preoptic area of hypothalamus, but not in the primary somatosensory cortex. Mu-receptor density was greater in the medial preoptic area of females than males, and in superficial layers of cortex in males than females. The results suggest that morphine has selective regional effects on mu-receptor ontogeny in rat brain.