Abstract
When d-amphetamine was administered intramuscularly to pigeons 30 min presession, the “breaking point” of their progressive-ratio performance increased as the dose increased from 0.5 to 2 mg/kg and then decreased to below control values at the largest dose (4 mg/kg). The maximum increase in breaking point induced by d-amphetamine was substantially less than that found with the optimal dose of phenobarbital (40 mg/kg). An attempt to mimic the large disruptive effect of the 4-mg/kg dose of d-amphetamine by prefeeding the Ss 60 g of grain produced only a small decrease in breaking point compared to the drug condition.
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This research was supported in part by Public Health Service Grants FR 5360 and FR 5306. The d-amphetamine (Dexedrine) was kindly donated by Smith Kline & French Laboratories. I wish to thank Drs. F. G. Standaert and Annette S. Thompson for comments on the manuscript.
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Thompson, D.M. Effects of d-amphetamine on the “breaking point” of progressive-ratio performance. Psychon Sci 29, 282–284 (1972). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329206
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329206
Keywords
- Amphetamine
- Phenobarbital
- Drug Condition
- Breaking Point
- Progressive Ratio