[Conditioning of emotional behavior caused by hypothalamic stimulation (4). Effects of drugs on conditioned avoidance...

In the present study, effects of psychotropic drugs were analyzed by observing avoidance and escape behavior or rabbits under hypothalamic electrical stimulation. In avoidance behavior, chlorpromazine (CPZ) and diazepam (DZP) depressed avoidance response and extended avoidance response latency and head movement latency. Autonomic behavior such as opening of palpebral fissure and pupil size were also delayed. The locus of movement and count of head movement were depressed by the administration of each drug. On the other hand, unlike CPZ, DZP extended escape response latency. On escape behavior, effects of CPZ and DZP were apparently different. Unlike CPZ, DZP induced avoidance behavior and increased locus of movement. With methamphetamine, no avoidance behavior was observed, but under conditional stimulation, the behavior and the escape response latency were decreased. Chlordiazepoxide induced avoidance behavior.