Haloperidol pretreatment unmasks the kappa opioid effects of U-50, 488H on cortical EEG and EEG power spectra in rats.

Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were implanted with chronic cortical EEG electrodes and intravenous cannulae. U-50, 488H injection (5.0 mg/kg) produced initial EEG desynchrony and EEG spectral power that was mainly distributed over the zero to 10 Hz range, including a relatively small spectral peak in the 4-6 Hz band. In contrast, following haloperidol pretreatment (0.1 mg/kg), U-50, 488H injection produced high-voltage EEG bursts and a predominant EEG spectral peak in the 4-6 Hz band. These effects of U-50, 488H after haloperidol pretreatment were identical to those previously demonstrated with the benzomorphan kappa agonist ethylketocyclazocine. Thus, haloperidol pretreatment unmasked the kappa opioid effects of U-50, 488H.