title: Effects of phenylethylamine on rat locomotor behavior and avoidance learning.
abstract: 1. The effects of beta-phenylethylamine (PEA) alone and in association with caroxazone, a potent inhibitor of monoamine oxidase B (MAO B), on the activity and long-term memory in the wheel-shaped activity monitor and on fixed-interval two-way avoidance acquisition were studied in rats. In a separate study, we determined the effects of PEA and of d-amphetamine on the variable-interval two-way avoidance acquisition. 2. The action of PEA was markedly different from that of amphetamine in several aspects. The stimulating effects of PEA in the wheel-shaped activity monitor were of a more subtle nature than those of amphetamine and in the variable-interval two-way avoidance acquisition PEA had no effect, while amphetamine improved performance. 3. PEA did not induce an increase in path-choice stereotypy, but caroxazone did. The absence of any caroxazone-session interaction effects on the path iteration frequency suggested that there were no long-term memory effects. 4. In the fixed-interval two-way avoidance acquisition experiments, PEA increased the avoidance responses of rats while caroxazone had no effect. The association of the two drugs did not potentiate either.
authors: Disciplina de Farmacologia, Fundação Faculdade Federal de Ciências Médicas de Porto Alegre, Brasil.
authors: S L
authors: SL
authors: Tannhauser
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Elsner
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Tannhauser
authors: H M
authors: HM
authors: Barros
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Tannhauser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D044482:Benzeneacetamides; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010078:Oxazines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010627:Phenethylamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D044482:Benzeneacetamides; D010078:Oxazines; D010627:Phenethylamines; C029261:phenethylamine; C006919:caroxazone; D003913:Dextroamphetamine