Long-Term Stress-Induced Analgesia and Activation of the Opiate System

James W. Grau, Richard L. Hyson, Steven F. Maier, John Madden IV and
Jack D. Barchas

Abstract. Exposure of rats to a series of inescapable shocks produced in sequence both an early naltrexone-insensitive and a late naltrexone-reversible analgesic reaction. Activation of the opiate system was necessary and sufficient to produce an analgesic reaction 24 hours later on exposure to a small amount of shock. The amount of inescapable shock which induced naltrexone-reversible analgesia also produced hyperreactivity to morphine 24 hours later.

 

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