Differential effects of 8-OH-DPAT on two forms of appetitive pavlovian conditioning in the rat.
Rats were trained on an appetitive Pavlovian conditioning task in which the conditioned stimulus (CS) was either localized (a light in the food tray) or nonlocalized (an increase in the general level of illumination). The conditioned response (CR) of approaching the site of food delivery in the presence of the CS was monitored. Presession treatment with the 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT (subcutaneous injections at a dose of 0.15 mg/kg) retarded acquisition of the CR, but only when the localized CS was used. The results confirm the general proposal that serotonergic processes are involved in learning. The selective effect of the drug is not to be explained in terms of its motor effects and is consistent with the specific suggestion that systemic administration of 8-OH-DPAT is especially effective in disrupting learning tasks mediated by hippocampal mechanisms.
Blair
C A J
CA
Department of Psychology, University of York, York, United Kingdom. c.blair@psych.york.ac.uk
Bonardi
Charlotte
C
Hall
Geoffrey
G
D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001070:Appetitive Behavior / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*
D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin