The effects of psychotropic drugs on exploratory and stereotyped behaviour of rats studied on a hole-board

✍ Scribed by R. O. A. Makanjuola; G. Hill; R. C. Dow; G. Campbell; G. W. Ashcroft

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1977
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 631 KB
• Volume: 55
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0033-3158
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00432819

✦ Synopsis

Exploratory and stereotyped behaviour of Male Wistar rats was studied on a hole-board. The two forms of behaviour were differentiated according to the pattern of hole-dipping activity. Increasing doses of dl-amphetamine stimulated both forms of behaviour with stereotyped behaviour becoming predominant particularly at the higher dose levels. At the highest dose of amphetamine used (16 mg/kg) a gradual transition from exploratory to stereotyped behaviour was observed with time. As the drug wore off this transition was reversed. Haloperitol at a dosage of 0.1 and 0.05 mg/kg blocked the response to a high dose of amphetamine whereas a lower dose (0.02 mg/kg) blocked the stereotyped response to amphetamine while some exploratory behaviour still took place. Apomorphine inhibited hole-dipping but at lower doses another form of exploratory behaviour was induced, this behaviour becoming stereotyped as the dose was increased. It is concluded that there is a close relationship between exploratory and stereotyped behaviours. Monoamine systems appear to play a significant role in the regulation of both forms of behaviour.