The effects of apomorphine on leverpress shock escape learning in rats.
Four groups of rats (n = 10 each) were tested on a discrete trial leverpress shock escape task 15 min following an intraperitoneal injection of either 0 (saline), 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 mg/kg apomorphine hydrochloride. The results indicated that all doses of apomorphine produced a severe disruption in escape performance. This disruption was temporary, however, as all apomorphine groups were responding as quickly as the saline control rats by the end of the training session. A comparison of the effects of apomorphine with the previously reported effects of scopolamine and septal lesions on shock escape learning revealed both similarities and differences. These findings suggest that a septal lesion-induced reduction of acetylcholine levels does not simply "unleash" an antagonistic dopaminergic system.
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004597:Electroshock; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D001058:Apomorphine; D000109:Acetylcholine