Self-stimulation reaction of the hypothalamus in single and repeat administrations of ethaminal sodium
Evartau, E.E.
Farmakologiia i Toksikologiia 46(2): 28-31
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0014-8318 PMID: 6682806 Document Number: 207455
Pentobarbital facilitated hypothalamic self-stimulation in doses from 1 to 10 mg/kg intraperitoneally. Under concurrent self-stimulation and intravenous self-administration two phases of pentobarbital action were distinctly revealed--activating and inhibitory. The facilitating effect of pentobarbital was blocked by the antiadrenergic drugs, butyroxane, pyrroxane and carbidine as well as was partially antagonized by naloxone. After chronic treatment (20 mg/kg daily) initial inhibition of self-stimulation was replaced by facilitation by days 3-4 of the experiment. Injection of pentobarbital in a daily dose of 3 mg/kg resulted in gradual development of tolerance to the facilitation action of the drug on self-stimulation and in that of dependence. Two types of abstinence reactions after pentobarbital withdrawal are described. The method proposed appears to be sensitive for studying barbiturate dependence.