Skip to main content
Log in

The effects of caffeine on timing behaviour in rodents: Comparisons with chlordiazepoxide

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Psychopharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Previous research has shown that benzo-diazepines and barbiturates can increase the proportion of response bursts emitted by rats on differential reinforcement of low rate (DRL) schedules. A recent report found that caffeine could exert a similar effect in mice and the present study was carried out to compare the actions of caffeine with those of chlordiazepoxide on DRL responding in rats and Mongolian gerbils. Chlordiazepoxide increased response rates, decreased reinforcement frequencies and increased percentages of response bursts in both species. Caffeine also increased response rates and decreased reinforcement frequencies, but in neither species was the percentage of response bursts systematically increased. d-Amphetamine administered to the gerbils also did not increase the percentages of response bursts. Combinations of caffeine and chlordiazepoxide were administered to the rats and produced effects which were generally additive.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ando, K.: Profile of drug effects on temporally spaced responding in rats. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 3, 833–841 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Beer, B., Chasin, M., Clody, D. E., Vogel, J. R., Horovitz, Z. P.: Cyclic adenosine monophosphate phosphodiesterase in brain: Effect on anxiety. Science 176, 428–430 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Canon, J. G.: A comparison of clozapine, chlorpromazine and thioridazine upon DRL performance in the squirrel monkey. Psychopharmacology 64, 55–60 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Canon, J. G., Lippa, A. S.: Use of DRL in differentiating anxiolytic and neuroleptic properties of CNS drugs. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 6, 591–593 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, L., Sepinwall, J.: Behavioral analysis of the effects and mechanisms of action of benzodiazepines. In: Mechanism of action of benzodiazepines, E. Costa, P. Greengard, eds., pp. 1–28. New York, Raven 1975

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis, T. R. A., Kensler, C. J., Dews, P. B.: Comparison of behavioral effects of nicotine, d-amphetamine, caffeine and dimethylheptyl tetrahydrocannabinol in squirrel monkeys. Psychopharmacologia 32, 51–65 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Healey, M. L., Dykstra, L. A.: Joint effects of ethanol and caffeine on schedule-controlled responding in the pigeon. Psychopharmacology 62, 141–144 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Houser, V. P.: The effects of drugs on behavior controlled by aversive stimuli. In: Contemporary research in behavioural pharmacology, D. E. Blackman, D. J. Sanger, eds., pp. 69–157. New York: Plenum 1978

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelleher, R. T., Fry, W., Degan, J., Cook, L.: Effects of meprobamate on operant behavior in rats. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 133, 271–280 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • McMillan, D. E.: Some interactions between sympathomimetic amines and amine-depleting agents on the schedule-controlled behaviour of the pigeon and the squirrel monkey. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 163, 172–187 (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, C. F.: The effects of nicotine on punished behavior. Psychopharmacologia 14, 221–232 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanger, D. J., Blackman, D. E.: The effects of tranquillizing drugs on timing behaviour in rats. Psychopharmacologia 44, 153–156 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanger, D. J., Key, M., Blackman, D. E.: Differential effects of chlordiazepoxide and d-amphetamine on responding maintained by a DRL schedule of reinforcement. Psychopharmacologia 38, 159–171 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Sidman, M.: Technique for assessing the effects of drugs on timing behavior. Science 122, 925 (1955)

    Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, B. F., Heron, W. T.: Effects of caffeine and benzedrine upon conditioning and extinction. Psychol. Rec. 1, 340–346 (1937)

    Google Scholar 

  • Wayner, M. J., Jolicoeur, F. B., Rondeau, D. B., Barone, F. C.: Effects of acute and chronic administration of caffeine on schedule-dependent and schedule-induced behavior. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 5, 343–348 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Webb, D., Levine, T. E.: Effects of caffeine on DRL performance in the mouse. Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav. 9, 7–10 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sanger, D.J. The effects of caffeine on timing behaviour in rodents: Comparisons with chlordiazepoxide. Psychopharmacology 68, 305–309 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428121

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00428121

Key words

Navigation