Anorectic specificity as measured in a choice paradigm in rhesus monkeys

The present report describes a new procedure for assessing anorectic specificity. Two rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) surgically prepared with indwelling intragastric catheters were trained in a discrete trial choice paradigm to respond for either food or visual access to a room containing other monkeys. Our hypothesis was that a specific anorectic would reduce only food-maintained responding; responding to open a window would either not be affected or would increase. Caloric preloads, d-amphetamine, (d,l)-fenfluramine, and cholecystokinin octapeptide all decreased food-maintained responding and had no effect on or increased responding maintained by window opening. These results demonstrate that choice procedures are useful for assessing anorectic specificity.