Medical Council on Alcoholism THE EFFECTS OF SOME ANTIDEPRESSANTS ON THE INDUCTION OF MORPHINE DEPENDENCE AND THE MORPHINE WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME

Abstract — The effects of both acute and chronic administration of the antidepressants mianserin, nomifensine, and ( +) and (-)-oxaprotiline were assessed on naloxone-precipitated abstinence in chronically morphinized rats. Chronic coadministration of the antidepressants with morphine dur-ing the induction of dependence produced no significant alleviation of withdrawal. Acute administration of nomifensine prior to precipitation of abstinence with naloxone produced an exacerbation of the withdrawal syndrome through stimulation of supersensitive dopamine recep-tor sites. By contrast, mianserin and (+)-oxaprotiline produced an overall significant alleviation of withdrawal, whereas (-)-oxaprotiline was without effect. The results are discussed in relation to the possible value of antidepressant treatment during opiate withdrawal