title: LSD and other related hallucinogens elicit myoclonic jumping behavior in the guinea pig.
abstract: 1. We evaluated the behavioral response of guinea pigs to hallucinogenic agents in order to characterize the response of this species to a variety of known hallucinogenic drugs. 2. The systemic injection of LSD in the guinea pig elicited a "myoclonic-like" response the frequency of which was dose-dependent. This behavior exhibited rapid tolerance which was more prominent at higher doses. 3. Subacute mescaline pretreatment reduced the myoclonic response to LSD suggesting cross-tolerance. 4. Mescaline, DOM, TMA, DMA and 5 Me-ODMT also elicited myoclonus in a dose-dependent manner and in potency ratios which approximate the human experience for hallucinogenic activity. 5. Brom-LSD failed to induce myoclonus. 6. Since the myoclonic response of the guinea pig shares a number of pharmacologic characteristics with the human hallucinogenic event, this species may be useful in the study of hallucinogenic compounds.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Neurological Sciences, Rush Presbyterian St. Lukes Medical Center, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Carvey
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nausieda
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weertz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Klawans
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008238:Lysergic Acid Diethylamide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008635:Mescaline / Q000494:pharmacology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009207:Myoclonus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D006213:Hallucinogens; D008238:Lysergic Acid Diethylamide; D008635:Mescaline