A Neuropsychological Classification of Drug Substitution.
Abstract
Cats have been trained to give conditioned avoidance responses with direct electrical stimulation of the brain as the conditioned stimulus. After these conditioned responses were established the brain excitability levels, as measured by the intensity of brain stimulation necessary to maintain those conditioned responses, were determined. The effects of various dosages of paraldehyde, meprobamate, chloral hydrate, and chlordiazepoxide, upon brain excitability levels was determined for cats trained in the normal, nondrugged state. Additional cats have received the same avoidance training while they are in a drugged state, produced by injections of 12.5 mg/kg of pentobarbital, to produce state dependent responding. They will shortly be tested to determine whether, and at what dosage, paraldehyde, chloral hydrate, meprobamate and chlordiazepoxide can substitute for pentobarbital and maintain the state dependent responding. Barbiturate dependence has been produced in two cats and the brain excitability levels followed while dependence was being produced, and during withdrawal when pentobarbital was withheld. The data showed that the thresholds of the CNS were elevated while dependence was being produced and remained elevated while the animal showed the most severe withdrawal symptoms. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1973
- Accession Number
- AD0767553
Entities
People
- Harold C. Nielson
Organizations
- University of Utah