Baclofen Inhibits Heroin Self-Administration Behavior and Mesolimbic Dopamine Release
Abstract
An emerging hypothesis to explain the mechanism of heroin-induced positive reinforcement states that opiates inhibit gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic interneurons within the mesocorticolimbic dopamine (DA) system to disinhibit DA neurons. In support of this hypothesis, we report that the development of heroin self-administration (SA) behavior in drug-naive rats and the maintenance of SA behavior in heroin-trained rats were both suppressed when the GABA(B) receptor agonist baclofen was coadministered with heroin. Microinjections of baclofen into the ventral tegmental area (VTA), but not the nucleus accumbens, decreased heroin reinforcement as indicated by a compensatory increase in SA behavior. Additionally, baclofen administered alone or along with heroin dose-dependently reduced heroin-induced DA release. This effect was blocked partially by intra-VTA infusion of the GABA(B) antagonist 2-hydroxysaclofen, suggesting an additional, perhaps GABA(A) receptor-mediated, disinhibitory effect. Taken together, these experiments, for the first time, demonstrate that heroin-reinforced SA behavior and nucleus accumbens DA release are mediated predominantly by GABA(B) receptors in the VTA and suggest that baclofen may be an effective agent in the treatment of opiate abuse.
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Lesion or inactivation of the mesolimbic DA system in the VTA or NAc decreases cocaine, amphetamine, heroin, and nicotine self-administration in rats.
“In addition, lesion or inactivation of the mesolimbic DA system in the VTA [137,138] or in the NAc [139-143] decreases cocaine, amphetamine, heroin, and nicotine self-administration in rats.”
From Reward circuitry dysfunction in psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders and genetic syndromes: animal models and clinical findings (2012) · cites this paper as [138]
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“However, while preclinical studies support the idea that baclofen may help maintaining abstinence from opioids via reducing both the positive reinforcing (reward) properties [10,22] and negative reinforcement (withdrawal) of opioids [11,12]; to the best of our knowledge, there is no reported clinical trial that has ev…”
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Caillé, S., & Parsons, L. H. (2003) · European Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1111/j.1460-9568.2003.02961.x · Cited by 80 · see citing works
Brebner, K., Ahn, S., & Phillips, A. G. (2004) · Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1007/s00213-004-1968-6 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
“Local infusion of baclofen into the VTA reduces IVSA of cocaine (Brebner et al. 2000b) and heroin (Xi and Stein 1999) and also decreases DA efflux in the NAc (Yoshida et al. 1994; Westerink et al. 1996, 1997).”
Campbell, U. C., Morgan, A. D., & Carroll, M. E. (2002) · Drug and Alcohol Dependence · doi:10.1016/s0376-8716(01)00185-5 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
“Furthermore, previous studies have shown that at the dose used in the present study, baclofen had no effect on operant food-maintained responding in rats (Roberts et al., 1996; Roberts and Andrews, 1997; Shoaib et al., 1998; Xi and Stein, 1999).”
BackgroundResultGABAB receptor alterations as indicators of physiological and pharmacological function
Enna, S. J., & Bowery, N. G. (2004) · Biochemical Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.bcp.2004.06.037 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Preclinical evidence for GABAB agonists as a pharmacotherapy for cocaine addiction
Roberts, D. C. S. (2005) · Physiology & Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2005.06.017 · Cited by 76 · see citing works
PKG and PKA Signaling in LTP at GABAergic Synapses
Nugent, F. S., Niehaus, J. L., & Kauer, J. A. (2009) · Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1038/npp.2009.5 · Cited by 73 · see citing works
“…properties of intracranial self-stimulation (Willick and Kokkinidis, 1995), with self-administration of several addictive drugs including heroin (Xi and Stein, 1999), with morphine-induced place preference (Tsuji et al, 1996), and with opioid-induced motor sensitization (Leite-Morris et al,…”
Fentanyl vapor self-administration model in mice to study opioid addiction
Moussawi, K., Ortiz, M. M., Gantz, S. C., Tunstall, B. J., Marchette, R. C. N., Bonci, A., Koob, G. F., & Vendruscolo, L. F. (2020) · Science Advances · doi:10.1126/sciadv.abc0413 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
“Furthermore, GABAB receptor agonism by direct agonists or positive allosteric modulators in the VTA blocks dopamine release in response to drugs (22, 23), reduces the reinforcing properties of drugs, and inhibits the reinstatement of drug seeking in models of opioids and other drugs of abuse (47).”
BackgroundGiorgetti, M., Hotsenpiller, G., Froestl, W., & Wolf, M. E. (2002) · Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/s0306-4522(01)00510-3 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Baclofen reduces fat intake under binge-type conditions
Buda-Levin, A., Wojnicki, F. H. E., & Corwin, R. L. (2005) · Physiology & Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2005.07.020 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Hypothesis-Driven Medication Discovery for the Treatment of Psychostimulant Addiction
Xi, Z., & Gardner, E. L. (2008) · Current Drug Abuse Reviews · doi:10.2174/1874473710801030303 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
“This is consistent with previous findings that local NAc perfusion of GABAA or GABAB receptor agonists, but not GABA itself, inhibits NAc DA and glutamate [127, 153, 154], and similarly inhibits cocaine or heroin self-administration and reinstatement of drug-seeking behaviors [154, 155].”
ResultSelf-citationLeite‐Morris, K. A., Fukudome, E. Y., Shoeb, M. H., & Kaplan, G. B. (2004) · Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics · doi:10.1124/jpet.103.058412 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Spano, M. S., Fattore, L., Fratta, W., & Fadda, P. (2007) · Neuropharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2007.02.012 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Fattore, L., Spano, M. S., Cossu, G., Scherma, M., Fratta, W., & Fadda, P. (2009) · European Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2009.01.007 · Cited by 67 · see citing works
“, 1998), heroin (Xi and Stein, 1999), alcohol (Anstrom et al.”
Baclofen suppresses binge eating of pure fat but not a sugar-rich or sweet–fat diet
Berner, L. A., Bocarsly, M. E., Hoebel, B. G., & Avena, N. M. (2009) · Behavioural Pharmacology · doi:10.1097/fbp.0b013e328331ba47 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
“When injected into the ventral tegmental area, baclofen also reduces the reinforcing effects of heroin (Xi and Stein, 1999), although this effect is not observed when baclofen is given i.p. (Di Ciano and Everitt, 2003).”
BackgroundMarona‐Lewicka, D., & Nichols, D. E. (2007) · Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.pbb.2007.06.001 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
“GABA-B receptors are localized on dopaminergic neurons and their stimulation by baclofen can attenuate dopaminergic activity (Westerink et al., 1996; Xi and Stein, 1999).”
BackgroundAcupuncture suppresses morphine self-administration through the GABA receptors
Yoon, S. S., Kim, H., Choi, K., Lee, B. H., Lee, Y. K., Lim, S. C., Choi, S. H., Hwang, M., Kim, K. J., & Yang, C. H. (2010) · Brain Research Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.brainresbull.2009.12.011 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Filip, M., & Frankowska, M. (2007) · European Journal of Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2007.05.069 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
Draycott, B., Loureiro, M., Ahmad, T., Tan, H., Zunder, J. S., & Laviolette, S. R. (2014) · Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.1297-14.2014 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
“…not exclusively) localized to nonDAergic GABAergic VTA neurons (Churchill et al., 1992; Kalivas, 1993), GABAB receptors are more localized on VTA DA neurons (Margeta-Mitrovic et al., 1992; Xi and Stein, 1999) and directly inhibit the activity VTA DA neuron activity (Margolis et al., 2012).”
BackgroundGuo, Y., Wang, H., Xiang, X., & Zhao, Y. (2009) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.02.005 · Cited by 63 · see citing works
“Microinjection of baclofen into the VTA activated GABAB receptors and blocked self-administration behaviors induced by heroin, DA release in the NAc (Xi and Stein, 1998, 1999) and morphine-induced CPP (Tsuji et al., 1996).”
BackgroundClinical Potential of GABABReceptor Modulators
Ong, J. A., & Kerr, D. I. B. (2005) · CNS Drug Reviews · doi:10.1111/j.1527-3458.2005.tb00049.x · Cited by 59 · see citing works
“Baclofen has been shown to antagonize the rewarding effects induced by nicotine in rodents (33), and to inhibit heroin self-administration (100).”
BackgroundMarkou, A., Paterson, N. E., & Semenova, S. (2004) · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1196/annals.1316.061 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Efficacy and Tolerability of Baclofen in Substance Use Disorders: A Systematic Review
Agabio, R., Preti, A., & Gessa, G. L. (2013) · European Addiction Research · doi:10.1159/000347055 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Mathon, D. S., Lesscher, H. M. B., Gerrits, M. A. F. M., Kamal, A., Pintar, J. E., Schuller, A. G., Spruijt, B. M., Burbach, J. P. H., Smidt, M. P., van Ree, J. M., et al. (2004) · Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2004.10.002 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
GABA Modulation of Cocaine Self‐Administration
Roberts, D. C. S., & Brebner, K. (2000) · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2000.tb06680.x · Cited by 54 · see citing works
The effect of baclofen alone and in combination with naltrexone on ethanol consumption in the rat
Stromberg, M. F. (2004) · Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.pbb.2004.05.006 · Cited by 54 · see citing works
Historical Perspective and Emergence of the GABAB Receptor
Bowery, N. G. (2010) · Advances in pharmacology · doi:10.1016/s1054-3589(10)58001-3 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
GABAB receptors and synaptic modulation
Kornau, H. (2006) · Cell and Tissue Research · doi:10.1007/s00441-006-0264-7 · Cited by 51 · see citing works
“in both animals and man (Xi and Stein 1999; Cousins et al. 2002; Slattery et al. 2005).”
BackgroundQuintanilla, M. E., Perez, E., & Tampier, L. (2008) · Addiction Biology · doi:10.1111/j.1369-1600.2008.00102.x · Cited by 48 · see citing works
“The GABAB receptor is located within reinforcement systems (Xi & Stein 1999; Cousins, Roberts & de Wit 2002; Fadda et al. 2003) and through both presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms has been hypothesized to modulate a variety of drug- and alcohol-related reward and reinforcement behavior…”
BackgroundCaillé, S., & Parsons, L. H. (2004) · European Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1111/j.1460-9568.2004.03497.x · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Inhibition of kynurenine aminotransferase II reduces activity of midbrain dopamine neurons
Linderholm, K. R., Tufvesson‐Alm, M., Larsson, M. K., Olsson, S. K., Goiny, M., Hajós, M., Erhardt, S., & Engberg, G. (2015) · Neuropharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.neuropharm.2015.10.028 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Hwa, L. S., Kalinichev, M., Haddouk, H., Poli, S. M., & Miczek, K. A. (2013) · Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1007/s00213-013-3245-z · Cited by 44 · see citing works
“Activation of the GABAB receptor reduces the reinforcing properties of cocaine, heroin, and nicotine (Cousins et al. 2002; Fadda et al. 2003; Xi and Stein 1999; Vlachou et al. 2011).”
Jang, E. Y., Choe, E. S., Hwang, M., Kim, S. C., Lee, J. R., Kim, S. G., Jeon, J., Buono, R. J., & Yang, C. H. (2008) · European Journal of Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2008.03.054 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Woo, S.-H., Kim, H.-S., Yun, J.-S., Lee, M.-K., Oh, K., Seong, Y.-H., Oh, S., & Jang, C. (2001) · Pharmacological Research · doi:10.1006/phrs.2000.0789 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Emerging drugs to treat alcoholism
Soyka, M., & Rösner, S. (2010) · Expert Opinion on Emerging Drugs · doi:10.1517/14728214.2010.500811 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
“The GABAB receptor consists of two subunits (GABR1 and GABR2) and is located with high density within the brain reward system [108-111], where it modulates a number of alcoholrelated reward and reinforcement mechanisms [108,112].”
BackgroundJin, W., Kim, M. S., Jang, E. Y., Lee, J. Y., Lee, J. G., Kim, H. Y., Yoon, S. S., Lee, B. H., Chang, S., Kim, J. H., et al. (2017) · Addiction Biology · doi:10.1111/adb.12499 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
“GABAB receptors are expressed more on DA neurons than GABA interneurons in the VTA (Xi & Stein 1999), suppress DA neurons directly (Xi & Stein 1999; Margolis et al. 2012) and inhibit the reinforcing effects of cocaine (Brebner et al. 2000).”
Cornish, J. L., Lontos, J. M., Clemens, K. J., & McGregor, I. S. (2005) · Psychopharmacology · doi:10.1007/s00213-004-2135-9 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
“Conversely, the reinforcing efficacy of heroin is reduced following inhibition of dopaminergic cells in the VTA which is accompanied by a significant reduction in nucleus accumbens extracellular dopamine levels (Xi and Stein 1999).”
BackgroundEffects of baclofen on conditioned rewarding and discriminative stimulus effects of nicotine in rats
Foll, B. L., Wertheim, C. E., & Goldberg, S. R. (2008) · Neuroscience Letters · doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2008.07.074 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Kaplan, G. B., Leite‐Morris, K. A., Joshi, M., Shoeb, M. H., & Carey, R. J. (2003) · Brain Research · doi:10.1016/s0006-8993(03)03218-9 · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Munzar, P., Kutkat, S. W., Miller, C. R., & Goldberg, S. R. (2000) · European Journal of Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/s0014-2999(00)00772-x · Cited by 39 · see citing works
Beck, A., Pelz, P., Lorenz, R. C., Charlet, K., Geisel, O., Heinz, A., Wüstenberg, T., & Müller, C. A. (2018) · European Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.08.507 · Cited by 38 · see citing works
Pharmacotherapy of alcoholic liver disease in clinical practice
Rosato, V., Abenavoli, L., Federico, A., Masarone, M., & Persico, M. (2015) · International Journal of Clinical Practice · doi:10.1111/ijcp.12764 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
GABAergic mechanisms of heroin‐induced brain activation assessed with functional MRI
Xi, Z., Wu, G., Stein, E. A., & Li, S. (2002) · Magnetic Resonance in Medicine · doi:10.1002/mrm.10282 · Cited by 36 · see citing works
Self-citationFu, Z., Yang, H., Xiao, Y., Zhao, G., & Huang, H. (2012) · Behavioral and Brain Functions · doi:10.1186/1744-9081-8-20 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
“Discussion In recent years, GABAB receptor agonist has received a considerable research interest for its extensive therapeutic implications associated with alcohol dependence [28], cocaine abuse [20,29], nicotine [30,31] and opiates addiction [32-34].”
Ashby, C. R., Paul, M., Gardner, E. L., Gerasimov, M. R., Dewey, S. L., Lennon, I. C., & Taylor, S. J. (2002) · Synapse · doi:10.1002/syn.10052 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
“Furthermore, a number of studies have shown that the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen attenuates cocaine (Brebner et al., 2000; Roberts et al., 1996) and heroin (Xi and Stein, 1999) selfadministration in rats.”
BackgroundBaclofen antagonises intravenous self-administration of γ-hydroxybutyric acid in mice
Fattore, L., Cossu, G., Martellotta, M. C., Deiana, S., & Fratta, W. (2001) · Neuroreport · doi:10.1097/00001756-200107200-00039 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Effects of dextromethorphan on dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens: Interactions with morphine
Steinmiller, C. L. (2003) · Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior · doi:10.1016/s0091-3057(02)01080-8 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Sahraei, H., Etemadi, L., Rostami, P., Pourmotabbed, A., Zarrindast, M., Shams, J., Ghoshooni, H., Noroozzadeh, A., Esfandiari, B., & Salimi, S. H. (2008) · Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.pbb.2008.08.015 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
- Authors
- Xi, Z.-X., & Stein, E. A.
- Affiliations
- Medical College of Wisconsin (US)
- Venue
- The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1999-09
- Volume
- 290
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 1369-1374
- ISSN
- 0022-3565 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2164726829
- Cited by
- 177
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 4.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed
- Funders
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01DA009465, DA 09465)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
- Keywords
- baclofen, heroin self-administration, GABAB receptors, mesolimbic dopamine system, ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, GABAergic interneurons, disinhibition, 2-hydroxysaclofen, GABAA receptor
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Baclofen, Behavior, Animal, Heroin, Dopamine, Electrodes, Limbic System, Male, Mesencephalon, Narcotic Antagonists, Narcotics, Nucleus Accumbens, Self Administration, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Ventral Tegmental Area, GABA Agonists, Substance-Related Disorders, Rats
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