Effect of psychotropic drugs on self-stimulation

Abstract

Amphetamine and cocaine have been shown to facilitate septal self-stimulation. Morphine, imipramine, benactyzine, meprobamate,diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, phenobarbital, and DLK-25, in small doses do not affect, but in large doses inhibit this reaction. It is suggested that amphetamine and cocaine have a direct activating effect on the positive reinforcement system of the septum. The ineffectiveness of the other drugs is explained by the absence of a nervous substrate for negative reinforcement at the septal level. Comparative analysis of the effect of psychotropic drugs on septal and hypothalamic self-stimulation leads to the conclusion that the activating effect of psychtropic drugs on the positive reinforcement system depends on their action on the emotiogenic structures of the brain and not on structures responsible for the formation of motivations.