Cocaine as a discriminative cue in rats: interactions with neuroleptics and other drugs

Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1978 Oct 31;59(2):183-7. doi: 10.1007/BF00427755.

Abstract

Rats were trained to discriminate between the effects of 4 mg/kg of cocaine HCl and saline (1 ml/kg) in a T-shaped maze. When the animals reliably differentiated the imposed training conditions (cocaine vs. no drug), test sessions were interspersed in between the regular training sessions. Test trials resulted in a median effective dose (ED50) of 1.6 mg/kg of cocaine, and the duration of the discriminable effects of cocaine in producing 50% cocaine-appropriate responding was 57.9 min postinjection. Pretreatment with neuroleptics (pimozide, haloperidol, and chlorpromazine), but not with propranolol, phenoxybenzamine, alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine, or physostigmine, attenuated the cocaine discrimination. Data are discussed with reference to previous results from amphetamine discriminations.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antipsychotic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cocaine / pharmacology*
  • Cues
  • Discrimination, Psychological / drug effects*
  • Drug Interactions
  • Male
  • Methyltyrosines / pharmacology
  • Phenoxybenzamine / pharmacology
  • Propranolol / pharmacology
  • Rats
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Methyltyrosines
  • Phenoxybenzamine
  • Propranolol
  • Cocaine