Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Facilitating effects of pre- and posttrial amphetamine administration on discrimination learning in mice

  • Research Reports
  • Published:
Agents and Actions Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Two experiments investigated the effects ofd-amphetamine on food-rewarded visual discrimination learning in mice. The findings of Experiment 1 indicate that degree of facilitation learning obtained with posttrial i.p. injections varied with dose: Facilitation was obtained with doses ranging from 0.25 to 2.0 mg/kg, but not with a higher dose (2.5 mg/kg). The findings of Experiment 2 indicate that degree of facilitation varies with time of administration. With two doses (0.5 and 2.0 mg/kg) facilitation was obtained with injections given up to 30 minutes before training or immediately after daily training. No significant effect was obtained with injection given 15 minutes after training. The findings are interpreted as providing further support for the view that amphetamine facilitates learning by affecting time-dependent memory storage processes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. D. Bovet andL. Gatti,Pharmacology of Instrumental Avoidance Conditioning, inPharmacology of Conditioning, Learning and Retention (M. Y. Michelson and V. G. Longo; Permagon, New York 1965), 75–89.

    Google Scholar 

  2. D. Bovet, J. L. McGaugh andA. Oliverio,Effects of Posttrial Administration of Drugs on Avoidance Learning, Life Sci.5, 1309–1315 (1966).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. D. Bovet andA. Oliverio,Decrement of Avoidance Conditioning Performance in Inbred Mice Subjected to Prolonged Session; Performance Recovery After Rest and Amphetamine, J. Psychol.65, 45–55 (1967).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. P. B. Dews,Measurement of the Influence of Drugs on Voluntary Activity in Mice, Br. J. Pharmac.8, 46–48 (1953).

    Google Scholar 

  5. B. A. Doty andL. A. Doty,Facilitating Effects of Amphetamine on Avoidance Conditioning in Relation to Age and Problem Difficulty, Psychopharmacology9, 234–241 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  6. A. L. Edwards,Experimental Designs in Psychological Research (Rinehart, New York 1960).

    Google Scholar 

  7. J. L. Franchina andM. H. Moore,Strychnine and the Inhibition of Previous Performance, Science160, 903–904 (1968).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. M. Garg andH. C. Holland,Consolidation and Maze Learning: The Effects of Posttrial Injections of a Stimulant Drug (Picrotoxin), Psychopharmacologia12, 96–103 (1968).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. S. Garattini,Importance of a Knowledge of Drug Metabolism for the Assessment of Drug Interactions, inImportance of Fundamental Principles in Drug Evaluation (D. H. Tedeschi and R. E. Tedeschi; Raven, New York 1968), p. 129–139.

    Google Scholar 

  10. E. Hearst andR. E. Whalen,Facilitating Effects of d-Amphetamine on Discriminated Avoidance Performance, J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol.56, 124–128 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  11. K. Kelemen andD. Bovet,Effect of Drugs Upon the Defensive Behavior of Rats, Acta Physiol. Acad. Sci. Hung.19, 143–154 (1961).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. J. C. Krantz andC. J. Carr,Pharmacologic Principles of Medical Practice, 6th ed. (Williams and Wilkins 1965).

  13. E. E. Krieckhaus, N. E. Miller andP. Zimmerman,Reduction of Freezing Behavior and Improvement of Shock Avoidance by d-Amphetamine, J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol.60, 36–40 (1965).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. J. A. Krivanek andE. B. Hunt,The Effects of Posttrial Injections of Pentylenetetrazol, Strychnine, and Mephenesin on Discrimination Learning, Psychopharmacologia10, 189–195 (1967).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. J. Krivanek andJ. L. McGaugh,Effects of Pentylenetetrazol on Memory Storage in Mice, Psychopharmacologia12, 303–321 (1968).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. A. S. Kulkarni,Facilitation of Instrumental Avoidance Learning by Amphetamine: An Analysis, Psychopharmacologia13, 418–425 (1968).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. J. L. McGaugh,Time-Dependent Processes in Memory Storage, Science153, 1351–1358 (1966).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. J. L. McGaugh,Drug Facilitation of Memory and Learning, inPsychopharmacology: A Review of Progress (D. Efron et al.; U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. 1968a), PHS Publ. No. 1836 p. 891–904.

    Google Scholar 

  19. J.L. McGaugh,A Multi-Trace View of Memory Storage Processes, inRecent Advances on Learning and Retention (D. Bovet, F. Bovet-Nitti and A. Oliverio; Roma Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Quaderno N. 109 Anno CCCLXV, 1968 b), p. 13–24.

  20. J. L. McGaugh andJ. Krivanek,Strychnine Effects on Discrimination in Mice: Effects of Dose and Time of Administration, in preparation.

  21. J. L. McGaugh andL. Petrinovich,Effects of Drugs on Learning and Memory, Int. Rev. Neurobiol.8, 139–196 (1965).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. J. Moruzzi andH. W. Magoun,The Brain Stem Reticular Formation and Activation of the EEG, Electroencephalog. Clin. Neurophysiol.1 (1949).

  23. A. Oliverio,Effects of Nicotine and Strychnine on Transfer of Avoidance Learning in the Mouse, Life Sci.7, 1163–1167 (1968a).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. A. Oliverio,Inhibitory and Facilitating Factors in Learning, in RecentAdvances on Learning and Retention (D. Bovet, F. Bovet-Nitti and A. Oliverio; Roma Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, Quaderno N. 109 Anno CCCLXV, 1968b), p. 220–230.

  25. A. Oliverio,Neurohumoral Systems and Learning, inPsychopharmacology: A Review of Progress (D. H. Efron; U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D. C. 1968c), PHS Publ. No. 1836, p. 867–878.

    Google Scholar 

  26. W. Pare,The Effect of Caffeine and Seconal on a Visual Discrimination Task, J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol.54, 506–509 (1961).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. R.H. Rech,Amphetamine Effects on Poor Performance of Rats in a Shuttle Box, Psychopharmacologia9, 110–117 (1966).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. L. Stein,Chemistry of Reward and Punishment, inPsychopharmacology: A Review of Progress (D. H. Efron, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington D.C. 1968), PHS Publ. No. 1836, p. 105–123.

    Google Scholar 

  29. P. Teitelbaum andP. Derks,The Effect of Amphetamine on Forced Drinking in the Rat, J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol.51, 801–810 (1958).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. A. Weissman,Drugs and Retrograde Amnesia, Int. Rev. Neurobiol.10, 167–198 (1967).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. D.J. Zerbolio,Within-Strain Facilitation and Disruption of Avoidance Learning by Picrotoxin, Psychon. Sci.9, 411–412 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Jara A. Krivanek

    Present address: Department of Psychology, California State College, Fullerton, California

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California, 92664, Irvine, California

    Jara A. Krivanek & James L. McGaugh

Authors
  1. Jara A. Krivanek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. James L. McGaugh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This research was supported in part by Research Grant MH-12526 from the National Institute of Mental Health, United States Public Health Service.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Krivanek, J.A., McGaugh, J.L. Facilitating effects of pre- and posttrial amphetamine administration on discrimination learning in mice. Agents and Actions 1, 36–42 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01977664

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01977664

Keywords

Search

Navigation