The effect of selective lesions of brain noradrenergic systems on the development of barbiturate tolerance in rats.

A method for chronic infusion of barbiturates into the central nervous system of rats was developed and used to study the importance of noradrenergic systems in the development of barbiturate tolerance. Destruction of noradrenergic neurons by intraventricular administration of 6-hydroxydopamine or by specific lesions of the dorsal or ventral noradrenergic bundles prevented the development of barbiturate tolerance without altering the animal's response to the acute administration of barbiturate.