Effect of acute and chronic morphine administration on brain cholinergic muscarinic receptors.

The binding of [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) to various brain regions was determined in rats after acute or chronic treatment with morphine. Morphine and naloxone, in vitro, inhibited the binding of [3H]QNB to striatal membranes only at high concentrations. Thirty minutes after a single injection, morphine (5 or 40 mg/kg s.c.) did not alter the Bmax or Kd values for [3H]QNB binding to striatal receptors. The binding of [3H]QNB to membranes of different brain regions was not changed in morphine tolerant-dependent rats or rats undergoing abrupt or naloxone precipitated withdrawal. The results suggest that central cholinergic muscarinic receptors are unaffected by acute or chronic treatment with morphine, or during abstinence.