Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to examine the behavioral effects of low doses of d-amphetamine in rats. In contrast to previous studies showing depression of fixed-ratio 30 lever pressing by doses of d-amphetamine greater than 0.5 mg/kg, lower doses of the drug were found to facilitate such lever pressing. A low dose (0.05 mg/kg) of d-amphetamine was also found to enhance the amount of prandial drinking following food deprivation. These results indicated that the dose-response curve for d-amphetamine is generally non-monotonic and usually in the shape of an inverted U.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Berlyne, D. E.: Arousal and reinforcement. In: Nebraska Symposium on Motivation. D. Levine, ed., pp. 1–110. Lincoln: University of Nebraska 1967.
Booth, D. A.: Amphetamine anorexia by direct action on the adrenergic feeding system of rat hypothalamus. Nature (Lond.) 217, 869–970 (1968).
Clark, F. C.: Effects of d-amphetamine on observing behavior in the squirrel monkey. J. exp. Anal. Behav. 12, 977–987 (1969).
—, Steele, B. J.: Effects of d-amphetamine on performance tinder a multiple schedule in the rat. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 9, 157–169 (1966).
Cole, S. C.: Experimental effects of amphetamine: A review. Psychol. Bull. 68, 81–90 (1967).
Dews, P. B., Morse, W. H.: Behavioral pharmacology. Ann. Rev. Pharmacol. 1, 145–174 (1961).
Kelleher, R. T., Fry, W., Deegan, T., Cook, L.: Effects of meprobamate on operant behavior in rats. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 133, 271–280 (1961).
—, Morse, W. H.: Determinants of the specificity of behavioral effects of drugs. Ergeb. Physiol. 60, 1–56 (1968).
Lat, J.: The spontaneous exploratory reactions as a tool for psychopharmacological studies. In: Pharmacology of conditioning, learning and retention. M. Y. Mikhel'son and V.K. Longo, ed., pp. 47–63. Oxford: Pergamon Press 1965.
Joy, R. T., Emma, C. P., Mayer, J.: New rat feeding jar: use in study of relationships of food intake and body weight. J. appl. Physiol. 23, 589–590 (1967).
Morrison, C. F.: A comparison of the effects of nicotine and amphetamine on DRL performance in the rat. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 12, 176–180 (1968).
Owen, J. E.: The influence of dl-, d-and l-amphetamine and d-methamphetamine on a fixed ration schedule. J. exp. Anal. Behav. 3, 293–310 (1960).
—: Psychopharmacological studies of some 1-(Chlorophenyl)-2-aminopropanes. I. Effects on appetitive controlled behavior. J. pharm. Sci. 52, 679–683 (1963).
Poschel, B. P. H.: Effects of methamphetamine on hunger and thirst motivated variable-interval performance. J. comp. physiol. Psychol. 56, 968–973 (1963).
Sidman, M.: Technique for assessing the effects of drugs on timing behavior. Science 122, 925 (1955).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Glick, S.D., Muller, R.U. Paradoxical effects of low doses of d-amphetamine in rats. Psychopharmacologia 22, 396–402 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406877
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406877