Role of kappa-opioid receptors in the effects of salvinorin A and ketamine on attention in rats.
Psychopharmacology June 1, 2010 Christina L Nemeth, Tracie A Paine, Joseph E Rittiner et al. 102 citations
Two drugs that alter perception and cognition in humans—salvinorin A (a kappa-opioid receptor agonist) and ketamine (an NMDA receptor antagonist)—produced similar disruptions in attention and motivation in rats tested on a food-motivated attention task. Both drugs increased omission errors (signs of reduced motivation) and slowed correct response latencies (processing deficits). Pre-feeding before testing produced a subtly different pattern, suggesting the drug effects were not purely motivational. A kappa-opioid receptor blocker (JDTic) prevented all effects of salvinorin A and some effects of ketamine. Binding studies showed ketamine also activates kappa-opioid receptors, though less potently than salvinorin A. These findings suggest kappa-opioid receptors may contribute to cognitive disruptions seen in conditions like schizophrenia.