Titrating matching-to-sample performance: effects of drugs of abuse and intertrial interval.
Previous reports have shown that increasing the length of the intertrial interval (ITI) in a matching-to-sample schedule of reinforcement results in increased matching accuracy. This has traditionally been interpreted in the context of proactive inhibition, the disruption of memory for a stimulus as a consequence of events that occurred prior to the presentation of the stimulus. In an effort to more fully characterize a titrating matching-to-sample baseline, the effect of ITI ranging from 0-30 s was determined in pigeons trained to respond under the titrating matching-to-sample procedure. In addition, the effect of ITI length on the dose-response curve for pentobarbital, phencyclidine, D-amphetamine, and cocaine were determined. Surprisingly, performance under the titrating matching-to-sample was not altered as a function of ITI length, nor did the effects of the four drugs of abuse change as a function of ITI length. These results suggest that performance under the titrating matching-to-sample is under a different control than matching-to-sample using fixed delays.
Wenger
G R
GR
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock 72205.
Kimball
K A
KA
D000661:Amphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010856:Columbidae; D008297:Male; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010622:Phencyclidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders
D000661:Amphetamine; D010424:Pentobarbital; D003042:Cocaine; D010622:Phencyclidine