Abstract
The effect of shock on locomotor activity was evaluated in three strains of mice (A, DBA/2 and C57BL/6) after treatment with scopolamine (1.0 mg/kg) and d-amphetamine (10.0 mg/kg). The effectiveness of either drug in increasing locomotor activity was strain dependent. Both drugs eliminated behavioral suppression induced by shock, and in A and DBA/2 mice shock augmented the locomotor stimulation induced by d-amphetamine. In another experiment the behavior of the 6 F1 hybrids was examined in relation to the parent strains. It was observed that locomotor activity in the F1's could resemble that seen in one parent in the saline condition, but the other parent after treatment with d-amphetamine. Similarly, the F1 behavior in the amphetamine condition was not predictive of the behavior seen after shock plus amphetamine. The results suggest that general activity, locomotor activity after amphetamine treatment, and responsiveness following shock in amphetamine-treated mice are mediated by different genetic mechanisms.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abeelen, J. H. F. V., Gilissen, L., Hanssen, T., Lenders, A.: Effects of intrahippocampal injections with methylscopolamine and neostigmine upon exploratory behavior in two inbred mouse strains. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 24, 470–475 (1971)
Abeelen, J. H. F. V., Smits, A. J. M. Raaijmakers, W. C. M.: Central location of a genotype-dependent cholinergic mechanism controlling exploratory behavior in mice. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 19, 324–328 (1969)
Abeelen, J. H. F. V., Strijbosch, H.: Genotype dependent effects of scopolamine and eserine on exploratory behavior in mice. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 16, 81–88 (1969)
Anisman, H.: Task complexity as a factor in eliciting heterosis in mice. J. comp. physiol. Psychol. 89, 976–984 (1975a)
Anisman, H.: Time dependent variations in aversively motivated behaviors: Nonassociative effects of cholinergic and catecholaminergic activity. Psychol. Rev. 82, 359–385 (1975b)
Anisman, H.: Cholinergic mechanisms and alterations in behavioral suppression as factors producing time dependent changes in avoidance performance. J. comp. physiol. Psychol. 83, 465–477 (1973)
Ánisman, H., Cygan, D.: Central effects of scopolamine and d-amphetamine on locomotor activity: Interaction with strain and stress variables. Neuropharmacology 14, 835–840 (1975)
Anisman, H., Kokkinidis, L.: Effects of scopolamine, d-amphetamine and other drugs affecting catecholamines on spontaneous alternation and locomotor activity in mice. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 45, 55–63 (1975)
Anisman, H., Wahlsten, D., Kokkinidis, L.: Effects of scopolamine and d-amphetamine on activity before and after shock in three strains of mice. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 3, 819–824 (1975)
Bignami, G.: Nonassociative explanations of behavioral changes induced by central cholinergic drugs. Acta neurobiol. exp. (in press, 1976)
Bignami, G., Amorico, L., Frontali, M., Rosic, N.: Central cholinergic blockade and two-way avoidance acquisition: The role of response disinhibition. Physiol. Behav. 7, 461–470 (1963)
Bignami, G., Rosic, N.: The nature of disinhibitory phenomena caused by central cholinergic (muscarinic) blockade. In: Advances in neuropharmacology, O. Vinar, Z. Votava, and P. B. Bradley, eds. Amsterdam: North Holland Publishing 1971
Carlton, P. L.: Cholinergic mechanisms in the control of behavior by the brain. Psychol. Rev. 70, 19–39 (1963)
Carlton, P. L.: Brain acetylcholine and inhibition. In: Reinforcement and behavior, J. Tapp, ed. New York: Academic Press 1969
Carlton, P. L., Markiewicz, B.: Behavioral effects of atropine and scopolamine. In: Pharmacological and biophysical agents and behavior, E. Furchtgott, ed. New York: Academic Press 1971
Collins, R. L.: Inheritance of avoidance conditioning in mice: A diallel study. Science 143, 1188–1190 (1964)
Ebel, A., Hermetet, J. C., Mandel, P.: Comparative study of acetylcholinesterase and choline acetyltransferase enzyme activity in brain of DBA and C57 mice. Nature New Biol 242, 56–57 (1973)
Eleftheriou, B. E.: Regional brain norepinephrine turnover rates in four strains of mice. Neuroendocrinology 7, 329–336 (1971)
Javoy, F., Thierry, A. M., Kety, S. S., Glowinski, J.: The effect of amphetamine on the turnover of brain norepinephrine in normal and stressed rats. Comm. Behav. Biol. 1A, 43–48 (1968)
Karczmar, A. G., Scudder, C. L., Richardson, D. L.: Interdisciplinary approach to the study of behavior in related mice types. In: Chemical approaches to brain functions, S. Ehrenpreis and I. J. Kopin, eds. New York: Academic Press 1973
McGeer, E. G., Fibiger, H. C., Wickson, J.: Differential development of caudate enzymes in the neonatal rat. Brain Res. 32, 433–440 (1971)
Messeri, P., Oliverio, A., Bovet, D.: Relations between avoidance and activity: A diallel study in mice. Behav. Biol. 7, 733–742 (1972)
Oliverio, A., Castellano, C., Messeri, P.: Genetic analysis of avoiddance maze and wheel running behavior in the mouse. J. comp. physiol. Psychol. 79, 459–473 (1972)
Oliverio, A., Eleftheriou, E. E., Bailey, D. W.: Exploratory activity: Genetic analysis of its modification by scopolamine and amphetamine. Physiol. Behav. 10, 893–899 (1973)
Pryor, G. T., Schlesinger, K., Calhoun, W. H.: Differences in brain enzymes among five inbred strains of mice. Life Sci. 5, 19–48 (1966)
Schlesinger, K., Wimer, R.: Genotype and conditioned avoidance learning in the mouse. J. comp. Psychol. 63, 139–141 (1967)
Swonger, A. K., Rech, R. H.: Serotonergic and cholinergic involvement in habituation of activity and spontaneous alternation of rats in a Y-maze. J. comp. physiol. Psychol. 81, 509–522 (1972)
Wahlsten, D.: Genetic experiments with animal learning: A critical review. Behav. Biol. 7, 143–182 (1972)
Welch, B. L., Welch, A. S.: Control of brain catecholamines and serotonin during acute stress and after d-amphetamine by natural inhibition of monoamine oxidase: an hypothesis. In: Amphetamine and related compounds, E. Costa and S. Garattini, eds. New York: Raven Press 1970
Welch, A. S., Welch, B. L.: Effect of stress and para-chlorophenylalanine upon brain serotonin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and catecholamines in grouped and isolated mice. Biochem. Pharmacol. 17, 699 (1968)
Winer, B. J.: Statistical principles in experimental design. New York: McGraw-Hill 1971
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Anisman, H. Effects of scopolamine and d-amphetamine on locomotor activity before and after shock: A diallel analysis in mice. Psychopharmacology 48, 165–173 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00423256
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00423256