A lever-release version of the conditioned avoidance response paradigm: effects of haloperidol, clozapine, sulpiride, and BMY-14802.
Rats trained on a lever-release version of the conditioned avoidance response (CAR) task were used to test the behavioral effects of established and putative antipsychotic drugs. Baseline CAR latencies decreased as the conditioned-unconditioned stimulus interval was shortened from 500 to 250 ms. Haloperidol, clozapine, and BMY-14802 decreased successful avoidance responses and increased avoidance latencies in a dose-dependent manner without affecting the latency of escape responses. In contrast, sulpiride failed to affect either successful avoidance response rates or avoidance latency. Sulpiride, however, significantly attenuated d-amphetamine-induced locomotion and rearing compared to vehicle-treated controls. Similar effects of these antipsychotics have been reported on shuttlebox avoidance, and these results now are confirmed in a CAR paradigm that achieves greater control over behavior. Because this paradigm elicits a discrete forelimb response without activating numerous muscle groups, it is potentially useful as a tool for examining neuronal mechanisms underlying the behavioral effects of antipsychotic drugs.
Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington 47405.
I M
IM
White
M T
MT
Ciancone
J L
JL
Haracz
G V
GV
Rebec
D000818:Animals; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D003024:Clozapine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000494:pharmacology; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D013469:Sulpiride / Q000494:pharmacology
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D011743:Pyrimidines; C050408:alpha-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-(5-fluoro-2-pyrimidinyl)-1-piperazine butanol; D013469:Sulpiride; D003024:Clozapine; D006220:Haloperidol; D003913:Dextroamphetamine