Suppression of pentobarbitone-induced hyperactivity by past experience in mice.
Locomotor activity of CD-1 mice, tested in an unfamiliar environment (toggle-floor box), was increased either by a subhypnotic dose (20 mg kg-1) of pentobarbitone or after recovery from pentobarbitone-induced (50 mg kg-1) anaesthesia. On the contrary, when mice were tested 6 h after a single exposure to the apparatus, pentobarbitone in either case failed to produce hyperactivity. The results demonstrate that mice recovering from barbiturate anaesthesia maintain susceptibility to the exteroceptive stimuli provided by a novel environment and knowledge of the environment acquired during past experience.
Sansone
M
M
Istituto di Psicobiologia e Psicofarmacologia, CNR, Roma, Italy.
Pavone
F
F
Battaglia
M
M
Vetulani
J
J
D000758:Anesthesia; D000818:Animals; D004777:Environment; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology*
D010424:Pentobarbital