The effects of amphetamine on a multitrial partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE) in an operant chamber.
Two experiments investigated the effects of d-amphetamine (1 mg/kg) on the partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE) in an operant chamber using a discrete multitrial procedure. Experiment 1 used a random 50% partial reinforcement (PRF) schedule. Experiment 2 used two 40% PRF schedules: one schedule maximized the number of nonreinforced trials preceding any given reinforced trial (maximum N-length of four) and the second maximized the number of N-R transitions (N-length of one). In both experiments, the continuously reinforced (CRF) animals received a reward on every trial. The PREE, i.e., increased resistance to extinction of PRF as compared to CRF animals, was obtained in the random 50% PRF and the schedule maximizing N-length in both the placebo and amphetamine-treated animals. Both drug and no-drug animals failed to exhibit PREE on the schedule maximizing N-R transitions. These results show that on a PRF schedule with short intertrial intervals, amphetamine-treated animals are not impaired in their capacity to learn sequences of events and to associate the outcomes of preceding trials with subsequent consequences.
Feldon
J
J
Department of Psychology, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
Weiner
I
I
D000661:Amphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects*; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012055:Reinforcement Schedule
D000661:Amphetamine