Prazosin attenuates the effects of cocaine on motor activity but not on schedule-controlled behavior in the rat.

Full Abstract

The spontaneous motor activity of rats was measured following administration of cocaine alone and in combination with the centrally acting alpha 1-antagonist prazosin. Cocaine alone (18-42 mg/kg) increased motor activity in a dose-related manner. At doses of 1 and 1.8 mg/kg, prazosin attenuated the increases in motor activity produced by cocaine. In rats responding under a fixed-ratio discrimination procedure, cocaine (10-32 mg/kg) produced dose-dependent increases in percent errors and decreases in overall response rate. Across a range of doses (0.32-3.2 mg/kg), prazosin failed to antagonize the effects of cocaine on responding under the discrimination procedure. Rather, the combined effects were frequently greater than those obtained with cocaine alone. The data suggest that in rats activation of alpha 1-adrenergic systems may mediate the effects of cocaine on motor activity but not on schedule-controlled behavior.

Author information

Author/s: Berthold, C W (CW); Gonzales, R A (RA); Moerschbaecher, J M (JM);

Affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans 70112.

Grants: AA 07297 (Agency:NIAAA NIH HHS) ; DA 03573 (Agency:NIDA NIH HHS) ; DA 04775 (Agency:NIDA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior (Pharmacol Biochem Behav), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1992-Sep; vol 43 (issue 1) : pp 111-5

Dates: Created 1992/11/02; Completed 1992/11/02; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 1409793, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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