Abstract
Rats were trained to respond on a geometric progressive ratio schedule until performance was stable. They were then injected with the anticholinergic drug scopolamine at doses of 0.05, 0.1, 0.25, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg. Control animals were administered atropine methyl nitrate (1–20 mg/kg). Increasing doses of scopolamine typically produced first an increase, then a decrease in behavior compared with baseline levels, measured by total number of responses, total number of reinforcements, and final completed ratio, per session. Atropine methyl nitrate had no effect on the behaviour of the control animals.
This indicates that the effects of scopolamine are due to its central action. The inverted-U dose-response curve found for scopolamine resembles that found for chlordiazepoxide, phenobarbital, and d-amphetamine on progressive schedules.
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Research supported by grants C70/20, 70/44, and 72/24 to N.M.B. Preparation of the paper was aided by a grant to W.J.S. from the Canterbury Branch, N.Z. Psychological Society. An early version of this paper was presented to the Annual Conference, N.Z. Ps. S., Auckland, 1973. Research reported was performed in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the M. Sc. degree by W. J. S.
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Stewart, W.J., Blampied, N.M. & Hughes, R.N. The effects of scopolamine on performance on a geometric progressive ratio schedule. Psychopharmacologia 38, 55–66 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421287
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421287