Abstract
Five albino rats were trained to stability on a multiple fixed interval 60 sec-fixed interval 60 sec schedule in which one component ended with food pellet reinforcements and the other with saccharin solution reinforcements. Morphine sulfate in doses 3, 9, and 27 mg/kg i. p. and doses of heroin hydrochloride, 1, 3, and 9 mg/kg i. p., produced roughly comparable dose-related decreases in both rate of responding and index of curvature in both the food and saccharin components. A second experiment using 6 albino rats investigated the effects of repeated administration of equivalent doses of morphine sulfate (7.5 mg/kg) and heroin hydrochloride (3.0 mg/kg) on responding in the above multiple FI 60 sec-FI 60 sec schedule. Increases in rates of responding were noted following one or two injections. Drug effects on FI scalloping diminished after a few injections. The present studies report a morphine-heroin equivalency ratio consistent with that used to produce analgesia. No major behavioral differences were noted in the development of tolerance to the 2 drugs.
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Rhodus, D.M., Elsmore, T.F. & Manning, F.J. Morphine and heroin effects on multiple fixed-interval schedule performance in rats. Psychopharmacologia 40, 147–155 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421364
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00421364