Tolerance to the effects of cocaine on performance under behavior-correlated reinforcement magnitude.
Four pigeons responded under a fixed-interval 8-min schedule of food delivery in which the amount of food delivered at the end of each interval depended on performance during the interval (i.e., a correlated schedule). Specifically, duration of access to grain was contingent upon the number of responses made during the first 4 min of the interval. This differential outcome did not affect response rates or patterning relative to performance under a simple fixed-interval 8-min schedule. Behavior under the correlated schedule was then investigated under doses of cocaine ranging from 0.3 to 10.0 mg/kg. A bitonic dose-response function was obtained for response rates and the time with head in the food hopper, whereas dose-dependent decreases were observed in the mathematical index of curvature (Fry, Kelleher, & Cook, 1960). The dose that produced the greatest increase in the head-in-hopper time was then administered prior to each session. Following repeated administration of cocaine, disruptions in response patterning were attenuated for all 4 pigeons; tolerance was also observed to the rate-increasing effects and increased head-in-hopper time for 2 pigeons after chronic cocaine administration. Tolerance therefore developed despite the fact that the initial effect of cocaine was to increase the amount of food obtained.
Miller
M L
ML
Department of Psychology, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611, USA. mmiller1@ufl.edu
Brodkorb
G W
GW
Branch
M N
MN
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010856:Columbidae; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology
D003042:Cocaine