Effects of phenylethylamine on rat locomotor behavior and avoidance learning.
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.
Tannhauser
S L
SL
Disciplina de Farmacologia, Fundação Faculdade Federal de Ciências Médicas de Porto Alegre, Brasil.
Elsner
J
J
Tannhauser
M
M
Barros
H M
HM
Tannhauser
M A
MA
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
D044482:Benzeneacetamides; D010078:Oxazines; D010627:Phenethylamines; C029261:phenethylamine; C006919:caroxazone; D003913:Dextroamphetamine