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The stimulus properties of γ-hydroxybutyrate

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Abstract

Fourteen rats were trained to discriminate the effects of γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) (sodium salt, 200 mg/kg) and saline in a two-lever choice task using a fixed ratio 10 schedule of water reinforcement. Intermediate responding, i.e., responding not fully appropriate for either training condition was observed in tests following morphine, lysergic acid diethylamide, chlordiazepoxide, and the presumed GABA-mimetics muscimol, γ-butyrolactone, baclofen, and 3-aminopropane sulfonic acid. Naloxone blocked the intermediate results following morphine, but had no effect on GHB-induced stimulus control. The GABA antagonist bicuculline partially blocked GHB, but pizotyline, phentolamine, and butaclamol were without effect. It is concluded that the compound stimulus produced by GHB is most closely associated with GABAergic systems, but that minor opiate and serotonergic components are present as well.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Medicine, SUNY at Buffalo, 14214, Buffalo, New York, USA

    J. C. Winter

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  1. J. C. Winter
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Winter, J.C. The stimulus properties of γ-hydroxybutyrate. Psychopharmacology 73, 372–375 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426468

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00426468

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