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Phencyclidine retards autoshaping at a dose which does not suppress the required response
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior
|June 1, 1982
Summary
Phencyclidine (PCP) disrupts rat exploratory behaviors, with rearing being more sensitive than floor-level activity. Low PCP doses impaired food consumption and response latency, while higher doses caused dose-related decrements in responding.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Pharmacology
Background:
- Phencyclidine (PCP) is a dissociative anesthetic with known psychotomimetic effects.
- Understanding PCP's impact on exploratory behavior and learning is crucial for its clinical and research applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of phencyclidine (PCP) on exploratory behaviors and autoshaping in Long-Evans rats.
- To determine the dose-dependency of PCP's disruptive effects on motor activity and learning.
Main Methods:
- Rats were administered varying doses of PCP (2, 4, 8 mg/kg) or saline before operant chamber exposure.
- Exploratory behaviors (rearing, level touching) and autoshaping (lever-touch responses, food consumption) were recorded.
Main Results:
- Rearing behavior was more sensitive to PCP-induced disruption than floor-level exploratory activity.
- Low-dose PCP impaired food consumption and response latency during autoshaping, without affecting response rates.
- Higher PCP doses caused dose-related decreases in responding and food consumption, with performance recovery over sessions.
Conclusions:
- Phencyclidine exhibits dose-dependent effects on exploratory behavior and learning in rats.
- Motor activity and consummatory behaviors are differentially affected by PCP.
- Adaptive learning mechanisms can partially compensate for PCP-induced deficits over repeated exposures.