Effects of d-amphetamine on spontaneous motor activity in pigeons

Animal activity monitors were used to measure spontaneous motor activity in pigeons. d-Amphetamine produced dose-dependent (0.56-5.6 mg/kg) increases in total activity counts while the highest dose (10.0 mg/kg) of drug increased activity counts less. Compared to the 24-h distribution of activity counts in the undrugged control conditions, the 5.6- and 10.0-mg/kg doses produced a change in the temporal pattern from a unimodal to a bimodal form. Increased spontaneous motor activity at low to moderate doses of d-amphetamine, with smaller increases at the higher doses, has been observed with other species, indicating that the spontaneous motor activity of the pigeon is affected by d-amphetamine in a manner similar to that of other species.