Compulsive gnawing in rats after implantation of drugs into the ventral thalamus. A contribution to the mechanism of morphine action.

1 Implantation of morphine into various parts of the corpus striatum of rats evokes only weak gnawing responses.2 Deposition of apomorphine, morphine or methadone in the region of the nucleus ventralis thalami produces a biphasic response, i.e. general excitation, followed by a period of intense gnawing.3 The effect of both apomorphine and morphine is blocked by chlorpromazine, haloperidol and pimozide. However, pretreatment with alpha-methyltyrosine methyl ester or alpha-methyldopa prevents only the gnawing response to morphine, but not to apomorphine.4 Systemic nalorphine, morphine or pethidine suppress the gnawing response, evoked by thalamic implants of apomorphine or morphine.5 Systemic amphetamine potentiates the effect of thalamic deposits of morphine.6 Compulsive gnawing, following implantation of morphine into the ventral region of the thalamus, probably results from enhanced production and release of catecholamines.