Abazid H., Lelevich V. V.
State of g-aminobutyric acid metabolism in rat brain during experimental morphine withdrawal.

Summary: The activities of the GABA-catabolising enzymes (GABA-transaminase and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase (SSA-DH)) and of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) were assayed in cortex and brain stem of rats in chronic morphine intoxication and during morphine withdrawal (MW). In cortex the SDH activity decreased in all terms of MW, and SSA-DH was activated on the 1st and the 3rd days of MW. In brain stem an increase in the SDH activity was followed by an inhibition of both the GABA-catabolising enzymes and was more pronounced in the latter terms of MW. We propose that the direction of the shifts observed in the indices of the energy metabolism and GABA shunt might be related to the differential role of the GABAergic neurons in the brain regions tested in the development of morphine dependency syndrome and the signs of MW.