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Modulation of avoidance behavior in squirrel monkeys after chronic administration and withdrawal of d-amphetamine or α-methyl-p-tyrosine

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Abstract

Two squirrel monkeys were trained on a nondiscriminated (Sidman) avoidance schedule that presented a conditional aversive stimulus (CAS) whenever the animals failed to respond within 20 sec. Shock was paired with the CAS 20% of the time. A 3 min tone followed by unavoidable shock was superimposed upon this avoidance schedule. Amphetamine (1.0, 2.0 mg/kg) increased responding without consistently affecting shock or CAS rate, while α-methyl-p-tyrosine (150, 225 mg/kg) decreased response rate and led to more CAS presentations and shocks. Withdrawal of amphetamine produced behavioral effects similar in direction but not intensity to those seen after the administration of α-methyl-p-tyrosine. Neither drug reliably altered the facilitation of avoidance response rate normally noted during the 3-min tone. These results were interpreted to reflect the role of the catecholamines in modulating the performance of an avoidance task. Furthermore, an attempt was made to speculate on the mechanism that may be responsible for the behavioral effects noted after the withdrawal of chronic amphetamine administration.

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  1. Pavlovian Research Laboratory, Veterans Administration Hospital, 21902, Perry Point, MD

    Vincent P. Houser

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  1. Vincent P. Houser
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Houser, V.P. Modulation of avoidance behavior in squirrel monkeys after chronic administration and withdrawal of d-amphetamine or α-methyl-p-tyrosine. Psychopharmacologia 28, 213–234 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00429302

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00429302

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