Differential effects of drug treatments on nose-poke and bar-press self-stimulation.
To assess the possibility of dissociating drug-induced gross performance deficits from effects on brain stimulation reward, the nose-poke and bar-press operants were systematically compared. Pentobarbital and methocarbamol (a muscle relaxant) reduced bar-pressing more strongly than nose-poking. In contrast, clonidine and haloperidol, which disrupt noradrenergic and dopaminergic neurotransmission respectively, had no differential effect on these operants. The nose-poke operant appears less vulnerable to drug-induced gross motor impairment and may be more suitable for pharmacological studies of self-stimulation.
D000818:Animals; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008721:Methocarbamol / Q000494:pharmacology; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012653:Self Stimulation / Q000187:drug effects*
D008721:Methocarbamol; D010424:Pentobarbital; D006220:Haloperidol; D003000:Clonidine