Date of Presentation

5-2-2024 12:00 AM

College

Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine

Poster Abstract

The opioid epidemic remains a pressing public health crisis, prompting the search for alternative pharmacotherapies for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). This study explores the potential of the dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) partial agonist, (±)VK4-40, as a novel treatment option. We investigated the impact of intra-nucleus accumbens (NAc) microinfusion of VK4-40 on basal locomotion in mice. Results indicate that VK4-40 did not significantly alter basal locomotion, suggesting that its therapeutic effects may not be mediated through disruptions in generalized motor function. Future research will focus on elucidating the neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying VK4-40's therapeutic actions and exploring its effects on psychostimulant-induced hyperlocomotion. These findings provide valuable insights into potential D3R-targeted pharmacotherapies for managing OUD.

Keywords

Opioid Use Disorder, Dopamine D3 receptors, (±)VK4-40, Nucleus accumbens, Basal locomotion, Pharmacotherapeutic intervention, drug therapy

Disciplines

Cell Biology | Disease Modeling | Medical Neurobiology | Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutics | Medicine and Health Sciences | Neuroscience and Neurobiology | Substance Abuse and Addiction

Document Type

Poster

DOI

10.31986/issn.2689-0690_rdw.stratford_research_day.8_2024

Share

COinS
 
May 2nd, 12:00 AM

Intra-accumbens Microinfusion of the Dopamine D3 Receptor Partial Agonist (±)VK4-40 Does Not Affect Basal Locomotion in Mice

The opioid epidemic remains a pressing public health crisis, prompting the search for alternative pharmacotherapies for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). This study explores the potential of the dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) partial agonist, (±)VK4-40, as a novel treatment option. We investigated the impact of intra-nucleus accumbens (NAc) microinfusion of VK4-40 on basal locomotion in mice. Results indicate that VK4-40 did not significantly alter basal locomotion, suggesting that its therapeutic effects may not be mediated through disruptions in generalized motor function. Future research will focus on elucidating the neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying VK4-40's therapeutic actions and exploring its effects on psychostimulant-induced hyperlocomotion. These findings provide valuable insights into potential D3R-targeted pharmacotherapies for managing OUD.

 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.