Morphine versus haloperidol catalepsy in the rat: a behavioral analysis of postural support mechanisms

Our experiments demonstrate that morphine and haloperidol produce two distinct and contrasting behavioral states, which can be thought of as exaggerated, isolated, and simplified forms of organized adaptive behavioral states functioning as components of normal motivated behavior. Haloperidol catalepsy constitutes an organized state in which tonic reactions subserving the maintenance of stable static equilibrium prevail, at the expense of phasic locomotor reactions. In contrast, morphine produces an immobility state characterized by inhibition of the postural support subsystem, and compatible with or preparatory to locomotor rather than static postural reactions. haloperidol-treated rats (1, 2.5, 5, 10 mg/kg i.p.) display exaggeraged bracing reactions to passive displacement as well as to stimuli which do not actively challenge stable equilibrium. In contrast, rats treated with morphine sulfate (10, 20, 40, 80 mg/kg i.p.) show a dose-dependent suppression of bracing and an exaggerated tendency to run in response to stimuli which produce bracing in haloperidol-treated rats. Further evidence that haloperidol-treated rats are organized to stand still in stable equilibrium includes their typical posture during akinesia (i.e. broad-based support), bradykinesia, tonic grasping and enhanced postural components of contact- and air-righting. Under morphine, however, the postural support subsystem is dispensed with, as evidenced by the posture of akinesia (i.e. a frozen phase of the locomotor step cycle associated with loss of limb support), absence of tonic grasping, and nature of the deficits in contact- and air-righting. Furthermore, the opiate-induced immobility state is accompanied by an increased readiness to locomote. Morphine produces an alternation between two extreme behavioral states: complete immobility (inhibition of the postural support subsystem) versus locomotor paroxysms (varying degrees of 'explosive motor behavior'). We suggest that the postures or actions adopted by morphine-treated rats involve movement subsystems concerned with the adaptive behavioral state known as the 'immobility reflex' ('tonic immobility', 'animal hypnosis').