Pimozide-induced extinction in rats: stimulus control of responding rules out motor deficit

Rats stopped responding for electrical stimulation of the brain following pretreatment with the dopamine antagonist pimozide, as well as following truncation of brain stimulation trains. In either case the extinguished responding was temporarily reinstated on presentation of a light if the light had previously signalled reward but not if the light had had no such significance. These results indicate that pimozide reduces self-stimulation by abolishing the rewarding effect of brain stimulation rather than by interfering with motor ability.