Effects of Stereoisomers of MK-801 on Counting in Rats.

Abstract

The behavioral effects of the anticonvulsant and neuroprotective agent MK-801 were studied under a complex task designed to mimic counting in rats. A percentile schedule arranged reinforcement for runs of consecutive left-lever responses terminated by a single right-lever response when the number of runs was closer to the target value of 12 than two-thirds of the subject's recent runs. A second group acquired differentiated runs in the same fashion, but were subsequently shifted to a procedure which yoked reinforcement probability per run to previous percentile performance. Effects of MK-801 under the two procedures were indistinguishable, even though behavioral disruption produced only a relatively minor change in reinforcement frequency under the percentile schedule while all but abolishing reinforcement under the yoked procedure. Both isomers produced dose-related decreases in run length and in response rate, with the (+) isomer being approximately one log unit more potent than the (-) isomer.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 13, 1993
Accession Number
ADP008812

Entities

People

  • Gregory Galbicka
  • Mary A. Kautz
  • Traci Jagers

Organizations

  • Walter Reed Army Institute of Research

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Anticonvulsants
  • Central Nervous System Agents
  • Frequency
  • Isomers
  • Maryland
  • Neuroprotective Drugs
  • Pharmacologic Actions
  • Probability
  • Stereoisomers

Fields of Study

  • Biology
  • Psychology

Readers

  • Circadian Sleep-Wake Regulation and Chronobiology
  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Neuroscience