Opioid receptor subtype antagonists differentially alter GABA agonist-induced feeding elicited from either the nucleus accumbens shell or ventral tegmental area regions in rats.

Food intake is significantly increased by administration of either GABAA (e.g., muscimol) or GABAB (e.g., baclofen) agonists into either the shell region of the nucleus accumbens (NAC) or the ventral tegmental area (VTA); these responses are selectively blocked by pretreatment with corresponding GABAA and GABAB antagonists. Previous studies found that a single dose (5 microg) of the general opioid antagonist, naltrexone reduced feeding elicited by muscimol, but not baclofen in the NAC shell, and reduced feeding elicited by baclofen, but not muscimol in the VTA. The present study compared feeding responses elicited by either muscimol or baclofen in either the VTA and NAC shell following pretreatment with equimolar doses of selective mu (0.4, 4 microg), delta (0.4, 4 microg), or kappa (0.6, 6 microg) opioid receptor subtype antagonists. Muscimol (25 ng) and baclofen (200 microg) each significantly and equi-effectively increased food intake over 4 h following VTA or NAC shell microinjections. Muscimol-induced feeding elicited from the VTA was significantly enhanced by mu or delta antagonists, and was significantly reduced by kappa antagonists. Baclofen-induced feeding elicited from the VTA was significantly reduced by mu or kappa, but not delta antagonists. Muscimol-induced feeding elicited from the NAC was significantly reduced by either mu, kappa or delta antagonists. Baclofen-induced feeding elicited from the NAC was significantly reduced by kappa or delta, but not mu antagonists. These data indicate differential opioid receptor subtype antagonist-induced mediation of GABA receptor subtype agonist-induced feeding elicited from the VTA and NAC shell. This is consistent with previously demonstrated differential GABA receptor subtype antagonist-induced mediation of opioid-induced feeding elicited from these same sites. Thus, functional relationships exist for the elaborate anatomical and physiological interactions between these two neurochemical systems in the VTA and NAC shell.