A suggested aversive effect in rats of posttrial administration of central nervous system stimulants

Abstract

The effects of posttrial injections of amphetamine, pentylenetetrazol and strychnine on the performance of trained rats in a Lashley III maze and in a shuttle box were studied. The first two drugs, at doses of 2.0 and 20.0 mg/kg, respectively, were able to impair the performance of the animals after a few posttrial injections. Strychnine at doses from 0.2 to 1.30 mg/kg was ineffective. The disruption of performance produced by the two drugs was tentatively explained on the basis of an approach-avoidance conflict set up by some aversive properties of amphetamine and pentylenetetrazol. The mode of action of the three drugs was discussed to explain the lack of effect of strychnine. © 1972 Academic Press, Inc. All rights reserved.