Abstract
60 rats were given doses of 20, 60 or 100 mg/kg of magnesium pemoline or a placebo. They were tested (1 trial a day) for 21 days of drug treatment and for 10 days of no treatment. It was found that drug-treated animals had a significantly lower total time in the maze on some days of the experiment; however, the swimming time of the drug groups was often higher than that of the placebo group. Experimental subjects also made more errors and had higher percentages of swimming time than placebo-treated subjects. The number of errors and percent swimming time increased with increasing drug doses. Drug-treated subjects had higher activity scores and less weight gain than placebo subjects. The weight changes were reversed after drug treatment was discontinued.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Beach, G., Kimble, D. P.: Activity and responsivity in rats after magnesium pemoline injections. Science 155, 698–701 (1967).
Boitano, J. J., Boitano, J. C.: Magnesium pemoline: enhancement of spontaneous motor activity. Psychon. Sci. 9, 295–296 (1967).
Bowman, R.: Magnesium pemoline and behavior. Science 153, 902 (1966).
Brink, J. J., Stein, D. G.: Pemoline levels in brain: enhancement by dimethyl sulfoxide. Science 158, 1479–1480 (1967).
Collins, J., D'Amato, M. R.: Magnesium pemoline: effects on avoidance conditioning mediated by anticipatory responses. Psychon. Sci. 12, 115–116 (1968).
Edwards, A. W.: Experimental design in psychological research. New York: Rinehart 1950.
Filby, Y., Frank, S.: Magnesium pemoline: effects on drl performance. Psyohon. Sci. 10, 265–266 (1968).
Frey, P. W., Polidora, V. J.: Magnesium pemoline: effect on avoidance conditioning in rats. Science 155, 1281–1282 (1967).
Gianutsos, J., Gianutsos, R., Filby, Y.: Magnesium pemoline: effects on spontaneous activity, stimulus responsivity and food intake. Psychon. Sci. 12, 177–178 (1968).
Kulkarni, A. S.: Magnesium pemoline; facilitation of instrumental avoidance learning Psychon. Sci. 9, 39–40 (1967).
Lange, W. E., Candon, B. H., Chessin, M.: Metal chelates of oxazolidinones as central nervous system stimulants. J. pharm. Sci. 51, 477–480 (1962).
Mantel, N.: Random numbers and experimental design. Amer. Stat. 23, 32–34 (1969).
McCarroll, J. E., Korbel, S. F.: Magnesium pemoline: effects on the learning and retention of a conditioned avoidance response by rats. Psychon. Sci. 11, 233–234 (1968).
Pizzi, W. I., See, C. S., Kohn, H. M.: Effects of magnesium pemoline on food and water intake in rats. Psychon. Sci. 11, 81–82 (1968).
Plotnikoff, N.: Magnesium pemoline: enhancement of learning and memory of a conditioned avoidance response. Science 151, 703–704 (1966).
—: Pemoline and magnesium hydroxide: memory consolidation following acquisition trials. Psychon. Sci. 9, 141–142 (1967).
—, Meekma, P., Jr.: Pemoline and magnesium hydroxide versus pemoline: enhancement of learning and memory of a conditioned avoidance response in rats. J. pharm. Sci. 56, 290–291 (1967).
Powell, B. J., Martin, L. K., Kamano, D. K.: Magnesium pemoline: effects of training vs training of an avoidance response. Psychon. Sci. 8, 205–206 (1967 a).
— — —: More on magnesium pemoline: differential effects of advance and immediate injections on avoidance performance. Psychon. Sci. 8, 303–304 (1967 b).
Ritzman, R. F., Miller, L., Bell, R. W.: Effects of magnesium pemoline on avoidance behavior in rats. Psychon. Sci. 14, 103–104 (1969).
Rogers, R. L., McCarrol, J. E., Johnson, K. D., Korbel, S. F.: Amphetamine and water maze learning. Unpublished study, Univ. of Arkansas (1969).
Siegel, S.: Nonparametric statistics. New York: McGraw-Hill 1956.
Soumireu-Mourat, B., Cardo, B.: Activity and learning in rats after magnesium pemoline. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 12, 258–262 (1968).
Stein, D. G., Brink, J., Patterson, A.: Magnesium pemoline: facilitation of maze learning when administered in pure dimethylsulfoxide. Life Sci. 7, 147–153 (1968).
— —: Prevention of retrograde amnesia by injection of magnesium pemoline in dimethylsulfoxide. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 14, 240–247 (1969).
Thompson, R. W., Knudson, G. R.: Magnesium pemoline: facilitation of one-way and two-way avoidance learning. Psychon. Sci. 11, 155 (1968).
Wimer, C., Donner, S., Martin, D.: Magnesium pemoline: effects on active and passive avoidance conditioning in mice. Psychon. Sci. 12, 23–24 (1968).
Winer, B. J.: Statistical principles in experimental design. New York: McGraw-Hill 1962.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This paper is based on the first author's dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph. D. degree at the University of Arkansas. The author would also like to thank his chairman and advisor Dr. S. F. Korbel for her advice and help. The assistance of the other committee members, Drs. R. H. Hickson, K. M. Mitchell and the late W. R. Richards, is also gratefully acknowledged.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
McCarroll, J.E., Korbel, S.F. Magnesium pemoline: Effects of a broad range of doses on water maze performance. Psychopharmacologia 24, 308–317 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00403649
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00403649