Abstract
In order to assess the effect of sigma (σ) receptor activity on striatal and limbic enkephalinergic cells we measured proenkephalin mRNA levels by in situ hybridization histochemistry after chronic treatment with the σ-receptor agonist drugs SKF 10047 or pentazocine. Chronic treatment with SKF 10047 decreased proenkephalin mRNA levels in the anterior aspect of the caudate-putamen (CPU) and the nucleus accumbens by 20–22% relative to controls. No significant effect was observed in the medial aspect of the CPU. Treatment with pentazocine decreased proenkephalin mRNA levels by 20–25% in all 3 brain regions. The results demonstrate that σ-receptor activity can exert tonic effects on proenkephalin mRNA expression in the striatum and the nucleus accumbens of the rat.
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