Antagonism of Stimulation-Produced Analgesia by Naloxone, a Narcotic Antagonist

Abstract

Analgesia produced by focal electrical stimulation of the brain is partially reversed by the narcotic antagonist naloxone. The absence of complete reversal does not appear to be caused by inadequate doses of naloxone since doses higher than 1 milligram per kilogram of body weight did not increase the antagonism. It is suggested that stimulation-produced analgesia may result, at least in part, from release of an endogenous, narcotic-like substance, such as that recently reported by other investigators.