Long-lasting sensitization to the accelerating effects of amphetamine on the speed of an internal clock.
Drinking in the rat occurs in bursts of rapid licking, a high frequency rhythmic behavior controlled by a neural clock located in the brain stem. We found that 3.0 mg/kg amphetamine increased the speed of licking and shifted to the left the frequency distribution of inter-lick intervals. Repeated amphetamine treatments result in long-lasting sensitization to this effect. Thus, it appears possible to produce enduring changes in the activity of a biological interval clock (or 'stopwatch') by manipulating catecholaminergic transmission. These findings may be important for an understanding of the neural basis of normal and pathological timing behavior.
Badiani
A
A
Department of Psychology, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-1109, USA. alducci@umich.edu
Stewart
J
J
D000661:Amphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001683:Biological Clocks / Q000187:drug effects; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000187:drug effects; D013998:Time Perception / Q000187:drug effects*
D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D000661:Amphetamine