ACTOMETRIC EFFECTS OF INTRAVENOUS COCAINE IN RATS

  • 1 January 1979
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 238  (2) , 244-256
Abstract
I.v. cocaine infusions, in dosages which have been reported to maintain self-administration behavior, were administered to cannulated rats. Ten identical infusions were administered at 6 min intervals within a session. The activity occurring in the initial minute following infusions was compared to that produced by saline infusions. Dosages of 200, 400, 800 and 1200 .mu.g/kg significantly increased activity. This effect was not maintained throughout the session. The 10th infusion no longer increased activity as compared to the initial infusion. Cocaine-induced activity was evidently not responsible for maintaining cocaine self-administration behavior in this species. Pretreatment with agents which disrupt dopamine and/or norepinephrine synthesis failed to antagonize this initial increase in activity. Apparently, the activity effect of cocaine is not dependent on newly synthesized catecholamine pools.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: