title: Stimulus properties of thyrotropin-releasing hormone.
abstract: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained in a two-lever operant discrimination task using 20 mg/kg thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and saline as cues. Following completion of 40 daily training sessions, 22 of 25 subjects demonstrated a high level of discriminative responding based on the TRH and saline cues. An evaluation of the time course of TRH indicated that the stimulus properties peak between 5 and 15 min and dissipate substantially by 55--65 min. During additional testing, rats showed dose-dependent generalization between the training treatments (20 mg/kg TRH and saline) and novel doses of TRH (1, 5, 10, and 40 MG/KG). However, animals failed to show generalization between the training drug (20 mg/kg TRH) and d-amphetamine sulfate (0.8, 1.6, or 2.4 mg/kg); likewise, animals trained to discriminate d-amphetamine (0.8 or 1.6 mg/kg) from saline failed to show generalization between d-amphetamine and TRH (10, 20, OR 30 MG/KG). Microgram quanitites of TRH (2.5--25 microgram administered into either the lateral or third ventricle elicited dose-dependent generalization to the training drug (TRH 20 mg/kg, i.p.), suggesting a CNS mechanism of action for this effect of TRH.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D005793:Generalization, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D013973:Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone; D003913:Dextroamphetamine