Behavioral effects of chronic oral administration of levo-alpha-acetylmethadol in the rat

levo-alpha-Acetylmethadol was orally administered via a sucrose solution to rats in their drinking water for 24 days. A control group received only sucrose. Bodyweight and fluid consumption were monitored daily. The behavioral effects during chronic drug administration and during eight days of withdrawal were studied using behavior controlled by a fixed-interval schedule of food reinforcement. Body weights of treated animals remained stable during drug administration but decreased by approximately 25% during withdrawal. There were no significant differences in volume of fluid consumed by the two groups. Response rate and number of reinforcements were decreased during drug administration. During withdrawal, response rates were greater than pre-drug control rates.