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PMID: 267951 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Neuronal actions of endorphins and enkephalins among brain regions: a comparative microiontophoretic study.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ·Vol. 74 ·No. 6 ·1977-06-00 ·Pages 2584-8

Nicoll RA, Siggins GR, Ling N, Bloom FE, Guillemin R

Abstract

The brain peptides alpha- and beta-endorphin, leucine- and methionine-enkephalin, as well as the opiate normorphine, have been evaluated by microiontophoresis for their effects on neuronal activity in several regions of the rat brain. In cerebral cortex, brainstem, caudate nucleus, and thalamus, most responsive cells were inhibited by the peptides and by normorphine, while in hippocampus all responsive cells were excited. Both inhibitory and excitatory responses were blocked by the narcotic antagonist naloxone. Occurrence of responsive cells encountered in a particular region was loosely correlated with density of stereospecific opiate binding sites as reported by others. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the endorphins and enkephalins may represent a new class of central neurotransmitters; among other functions, these peptides may play a role in the regulation of behavior and the expression of psychopharmacological agents such as the opiate alkaloids.

MeSH Terms
Animals Brain/drug effects Brain Stem/drug effects,physiology Endorphins/pharmacology Enkephalins/pharmacology Hippocampus/drug effects,physiology Naloxone/pharmacology Neurons/drug effects,physiology Oligopeptides/pharmacology Organ Specificity Peptides/pharmacology Rats
Chemicals
Endorphins Enkephalins Oligopeptides Peptides Naloxone
Authors & Affiliations
5 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Nicoll R A
Siggins G R
Ling N
Bloom F E
Guillemin R
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36 references, click to expand
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Article Info
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Abbr.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
ISSN
0027-8424
DOI
10.1073/pnas.74.6.2584
Published
1977-06-00
Pages
2584-8
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
7505876
PMCID
PMC432218
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1073/pnas.74.6.2584 PMC Full Text View journal details
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