The anxiolytic effect on the fear-potentiated startle is not due to a non-specific disruption.
In the present study, the effects of alprazolam, chlordiazepoxide, ethanol and haloperidol in the strychnine-potentiated startle response paradigm were investigated. Because strychnine increases control startle levels without fear-conditioning, no central state of fear exists. When anxiolytic drugs reduce the fear-induced potentiation of the startle response without reducing the strychnine-induced startle potentiation, their attenuating effect on startle potentiation in the fear-potentiated startle response paradigm can more likely be attributed to their anxiolytic properties. The selected drugs, which effectively reduced the fear-induced startle potentiation in an earlier study, indeed did not selectively affect the strychnine-induced startle potentiation, supporting the notion that the dose-dependent reduction of startle potentiation due to anxiolytic drugs in the fear-potentiated startle response paradigm does not reflect a "non-specific" disruption of startle behavior.
Joordens
R J
RJ
Department of Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. R.J.E.Joordens@hetnet.nl
Hijzen
T H
TH
Olivier
B
B
D000525:Alprazolam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects*; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000187:drug effects*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013331:Strychnine
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D058785:GABA-A Receptor Agonists; D000431:Ethanol; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide; D013331:Strychnine; D006220:Haloperidol; D000525:Alprazolam