title: Effects of acute haloperidol and reserpine administration on vacuous jaw movements in three different age groups of rats.
abstract: In these experiments three different age groups of rats were tested for vacuous jaw movements. The age groups included rats aged 3 months, rats aged 6-9 months, and rats aged 12-15 months. In the first experiment, rats were given a single IP injection of either 0.3% tartaric acid vehicle or 0.4 mg/kg haloperidol. In the second experiment, rats were given injections of vehicle or 5.0 mg/kg reserpine. Haloperidol and reserpine significantly increased vacuous jaw movements. There were significant effects of age on vacuous jaw movements, with rats aged 6-9 months and rats aged 12-15 months showing more jaw movements than 3-month-old rats. In both experiments, the drug x age interaction was not significant, indicating that the combined effects of age and neuroleptic treatment were additive and not synergistic. Haloperidol and reserpine also reduced rearing behavior in all age groups. It is concluded that age is an important variable in studies of vacuous jaw movements.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs 06269-1020.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Steinpreis
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Salamone
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007568:Jaw / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008409:Mastication / Q000187:drug effects; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012110:Reserpine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D012110:Reserpine; D006220:Haloperidol