Theoretical and methodological considerations on drug discrimination learning

Francis C. Colpaert; Carlos J. E. Niemegeers; Paul A. J. Janssen

doi:10.1007/BF00421388

Psychopharmacologia

January 1976, Volume 46, Issue 2, pp 169–177

Theoretical and methodological considerations on drug discrimination learning

Authors
Authors and affiliations

Francis C. Colpaert
Carlos J. E. Niemegeers
Paul A. J. Janssen

Animal Studies

Received:: 04 March 1975
Revised:: 29 September 1975

Abstract

A method is described which allows the assessment of discriminative stimulus properties of drugs, and the ability of amphetamine (0.16 mg/kg, s.c), chlordiazepoxide (5 mg/kg, p.o.), desipramine (5 mg/kg, s.c), and haloperidol (0.02 mg/kg, s.c.) to produce a discriminative stimulus complex (DSC) is evidenced. The method is found to yield clear-cut data that are specifically related to drug discrimination learning without being possibly confounded by state dependent effects. In addition, the experimental procedure is designed so as to provide an appropriate measurement of operant response modulating drug effects.

Key words

Drug discrimination Cue State dependent learning Amphetamine Desipramine Haloperidol Chlordiazepoxide

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Authors and Affiliations

Francis C. Colpaert
- 1
Carlos J. E. Niemegeers
- 1
Paul A. J. Janssen
- 1

1.Department of PharmacologyJanssen Pharmaceutica Research LaboratoriesBelgium

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Theoretical and methodological considerations on drug discrimination learning

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