Pituitary-adrenal axis and oral morphine consumption in rats.

Removal of the pituitary gland in rats leads to suppression of oral morphine and quinine intake behavior. Experiments measuring oral intake of solutions containing graded concentrations of morphine or quinine, revealed that the detection acuity for bitter taste is changed in hypophysectomized (hypox) animals. Treatment of these rats with ACTH 1--24 restored oral morphine intake towards that on intact rats. Morphine consumption in hypox rats was not affected by administration of ACTH 4--10 or ACTH 11--24, but was normalized by treatment with corticosterone. Adrenalectomy also diminished oral morphine intake. It is concluded that hypophysectomized animals refuse a morphine solution because their threshold for bitter taste quality is altered, presumably due to a diminished release of corticosteroids.