Footshock-induced rotation: lack of effect of haloperidol and AMPT

Non-lesioned, drug naive rats were administered footshock to determine whether aversive stimuli would induce rotational behavior. Circling was produced at 1, 2 and 4 mA. The direction of circling was consistent upon retest. Circling was not blocked by either haloperidol or alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (AMPT) and the direction of circling induced by shock was independent from that exhibited spontaneously during the 24 h prior to the test. These findings suggest that aversive-stimulus-induced circling is not mediated by the nigrostriatal dopamine system.