Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of combined treatment with trifluoperazine-HCl and amobarbital on punished behavior in rats

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Psychopharmacologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Amobarbital and certain low doses of trifluoperazine hydrochloride each attenuated the suppressant effects of punishment on response rates of rats in a multiple schedule of reinforcement containing punishment and non-punishment components. Combined treatment with these two agents, at a dose ratio of 1∶15 of trifluoperazine-HCl (base weight) to amobarbital, also attenuated the effects of punishment at all dose levels tested. The effect of the combined treatment was qualitatively similar to that seen following treatment with chlordiazepoxide. Combined treatment produced an effect on punished behavior at a dose level containing an ineffective dose of trifluoperazine-HCl and the degree of effect, at this dose level, was significantly greater than that produced by amobarbital alone, at this dose level. The effects of the combined treatment on non-punished responding were similar to those of trifluoperazine-HCl alone.

In the procedure described, stable performance was established, and responding in both components of the schedule was maintained, for long periods of time without the necessity for repeated titration of shock intensities for individual rats. Increases as well as decreases of response rates in the punishment component could be measured with all rats following treatment with various pharmacological agents.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Azrin, N. H.: Effects of punishment intensity during variable-interval reinforcement. J. exp. Anal. Behav. 3, 123–142 (1960).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, L., and R. T. Kelleher: Effects of drugs on behavior. Ann. Rev. Pharmacol. 3, 205–222 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  • — — and E. J. Fellows: Pharmacodynamics of chlorpromazine and other phenothiazines, pp. 455–460. In: J. H. Nodine and J. H. Moyer (eds.): Psychosomatic Medicine. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger 1962.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dinsmoor, J. A., and D. O. Lyon: The selective action of chlorpromazine on behavior suppressed by punishment. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 2, 456–460 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • Geller, I.: Use of approach avoidance behavior (conflict) for evaluating depressant drugs. pp. 267–274. In: J. H. Nodine and J. H. Moyer (eds.): Psychosomatic Medicine. Philadelphia: Lea and Febiger 1962.

    Google Scholar 

  • —, E. Bachman and J. Seifter: Effects of reserpine and morphine on behavior suppressed by punishment. Life Sci. 4, 226–231 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  • —, J. T. Kulak, Jr., and J. Seifter: The effects of chlordiazepoxide and chlorpromazine on a punishment discrimination. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 3, 374–385 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  • —, and J. Seifter: The effects of meprobamate, barbiturates, D-amphetamine and promazine on experimentally induced conflict in the rat. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 1, 482–492 (1960).

    Google Scholar 

  • Gollub, L. R., and J. V. Brady: Behavioral pharmacology. Ann. Rev. Pharmacol. 5, 235–262 (1965).

    Google Scholar 

  • Grossman, S. P.: Effects of chlorpromazine and perphenazine on bar-pressing performance in an approach-avoidance conflict. J. comp. physiol. Psychol. 54, 517–521 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • —, and N. E. Miller: Control for stimulus-change in the evaluation of alcohol and chlorpromazine as fear-reducing drugs. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 2, 342–351 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, H. M., J. J. Witoslawski, and E. H. Campbell: Drug effects in squirrel monkeys trained on a multiple schedule with a punishment contingency. J. exp. Anal. Behav. 10, 565–569 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • Margules, D. L., and L. Stein: Neuroleptics vs. tranquilizers: evidence from animal behavior studies of mode and site of action. Neuropsychopharmacology, Proc. Fifth Internat. Cong. of Coll. Internat. Neuro-psycho-pharmacologicum, Brill, H. (ed.) Excerpta Medica Foundation 1967.

  • Morse, W. H.: Effect of amobarbital and chlorpromazine on punished behavior in the pigeon. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 6, 286–294 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  • Naess, K., and E. W. Rasmussen: Approach-withdrawal responses and other specific behaviour reactions as screening test for tranquilizers. Acta pharmacol. (Kbh.) 15, 99–114 (1958).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wardell, J. R., Jr., and R. G. Staples, III: Animal studies comparing the neuropharmacological profile of a trifluoperazine HCl-amobarbital combination with that of the individual components. Arch. int. Pharmacodyn. (in press).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pharmacology Department, Smith Kline and French Labs., Philadelphia, Pa.

    Arnold F. Davidson & Leonard Cook

Authors
  1. Arnold F. Davidson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Leonard Cook
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Davidson, A.F., Cook, L. Effects of combined treatment with trifluoperazine-HCl and amobarbital on punished behavior in rats. Psychopharmacologia 15, 159–168 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00411166

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00411166

Key-Words

Search

Navigation