期刊名称：Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
印刷版ISSN：0027-8424
电子版ISSN：1091-6490
出版年度：1977
卷号：74
期号：6
页码：2584-2588
DOI：10.1073/pnas.74.6.2584
语种：English
出版社：The National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
摘要：The brain peptides alpha- and beta-endorphin, leucine- and methionine-enkephalin, as well as the opiate normorphine, have been evaluated by microiontophoresis for their effects on neuronal activity in several regions of the rat brain. In cerebral cortex, brainstem, caudate nucleus, and thalamus, most responsive cells were inhibited by the peptides and by normorphine, while in hippocampus all responsive cells were excited. Both inhibitory and excitatory responses were blocked by the narcotic antagonist naloxone. Occurrence of responsive cells encountered in a particular region was loosely correlated with density of stereospecific opiate binding sites as reported by others. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the endorphins and enkephalins may represent a new class of central neurotransmitters; among other functions, these peptides may play a role in the regulation of behavior and the expression of psychopharmacological agents such as the opiate alkaloids.
