Post-amphetamine depression of self-stimulation behavior in rats: prophylactic effects of lithium.
Rats reliably interrupted a photobeam for electrical brain stimulation when electrodes were situated in the substantia nigra. The reinforcing value of electrical brain stimulation diminished, markedly, when animals were exposed to long-term amphetamine treatment and then tested in the absence of the drug. Chronic lithium treatment administered in conjunction with amphetamine protected against the development of the post-amphetamine depression of self-stimulation responding. These findings were not related to drug-induced changes in locomotor activity.
D000818:Animals; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018021:Lithium Chloride; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D012653:Self Stimulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013378:Substantia Nigra / Q000502:physiology
D002712:Chlorides; D008094:Lithium; D018021:Lithium Chloride; D003913:Dextroamphetamine