Motor performance decrement by midazolam: antagonism by Ro 15-1788 and CGS 8216

Rats were trained in a fine motor control performance that required operation by a paw of a force transducer so that it remained between upper and lower limits of a force band for a continuous 1.5-sec period to deliver each food pellet. Acute doses of midazolam (0.75-3.0 mg/kg, SC) impaired indices of motor performance in a graded, dose-related fashion. When administered alone, Ro 15-1788 (0.1-5.0 mg/kg, SC) had no effect on motor behavior while CGS 8216 (0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg, IP) alone had small effects. In general, the motor performance decrements produced by midazolam were antagonized in a dose-related fashion by both Ro 15-1788 and CGS 8216.