Buspirone effects in an animal conflict procedure: comparison with diazepam and phenobarbital.
Buspirone has been introduced as a novel non-benzodiazepine anti-anxiety agent. The Conditioned Suppression of Drinking (CSD) paradigm is an "animal model" for anxiety which provides information on both the relative potency and relative efficacy of anti-conflict agents. The present study compared the anti-conflict effects of buspirone to those of more "classical" anti-anxiety agents, diazepam and phenobarbital. In daily 10-minute sessions, water-deprived rats were trained to drink from a tube which was occasionally electrified (0.5 mA), electrification being signalled by a tone. Within 2-3 weeks control CSD responding had stabilized (approximately 15-20 shocks/session and 10-15 ml water/session); drug tests were conducted at weekly intervals. Diazepam and phenobarbital markedly (400-500%) increased the number of shocks received at doses which did not depress background responding (i.e., water intake). A number of agents, most notably morphine and ethanol, did not reliably affect punished responding in the CSD. Administered IP, low doses (0.25-1 mg/kg) of buspirone increased punished responding only slightly (less than 100% increase); higher doses (2, 4 mg/kg) depressed background responding. Administered SC, buspirone (0.125-1.0 mg/kg) had more potent effects on both punished and unpunished responding; again, anti-conflict efficacy was only marginal. These results suggest that buspirone might be less effective than the benzodiazepines in the management of anxiety.
D000818:Animals; D002065:Buspirone; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects*; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D009020:Morphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010634:Phenobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats
D011743:Pyrimidines; D000431:Ethanol; D009020:Morphine; D003975:Diazepam; D002065:Buspirone; D010634:Phenobarbital