Age- and temperature-dependent effects of opioids on medulla oblongata respiratory activity: an in vitro study in newborn rat

• Published in: Brain research Vol. 800; no. 2; pp. 308 - 311
• Main Authors: Takita, Koichi, Herlenius, Eric, Lindahl, Sten G.E, Yamamoto, Yuji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier B.V 03.08.1998; Amsterdam Elsevier; New York, NY
• Subjects: 3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cyclohexyl)-benzeneacetamide, (trans)-Isomer - pharmacology; Age; Age Factors; Analgesics - pharmacology; Analgesics, Non-Narcotic - pharmacology; Analgesics, Opioid - pharmacology; Animals; Animals, Newborn; Biological and medical sciences; Brainstem; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Enkephalin, Ala-MePhe-Gly; Enkephalin, D-Penicillamine (2,5); Enkephalins - pharmacology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; In vitro; In Vitro Techniques; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Medulla Oblongata - drug effects; Medulla Oblongata - physiology; Morphine - pharmacology; Motor control and motor pathways. Reflexes. Control centers of vegetative functions. Vestibular system and equilibration; Newborn rat; Opioid; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Respiration; Respiration - physiology; Spinal Cord - physiology; Temperature; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Temperature; Brainstem; Opioid; Newborn rat; Respiration; In vitro; Age; Rat; Rodentia; Central nervous system; μ Opioid receptor; Morphine; Opiates; Postnatal development; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Medulla oblongata; Respiratory control; Brain (vertebrata)
• ISSN: 0006-8993; 1872-6240
• DOI: 10.1016/S0006-8993(98)00476-4

Influences of post-natal age (P0–P4) and temperature (22.5°–31.5°C) on the action(s) of opioids on respiratory activities from neonatal rat brainstem–spinal cord preparations were examined in this study. A temperature-dependent μ-opioid receptor effect on respiration was found. In addition, the effect of morphine increased with postnatal age (P0–P4). Hence, age and temperature must be taken into account when performing studies on medullary respiration-related structures using the neonatal rat brainstem–spinal cord preparation.