Benzodiazepines and discrimination behaviour: dissociation of response and sensory factors.

Journal article

Ten London pigeons were trained on a schedule which allowed concurrent measurement of motor and exteroceptive sensory changes. The task involved a conditional colour discrimination contingent upon the completion of a fixed interval schedule of responding. As a preliminary pharmacological study the effects of the benzodiazepines, chlordiazepoxide and flurazepam were investigated. Both drugs enhanced perseverative responding (after completion of the FI), and to a variable degree responding during the FI, although there was no evidence for an increase in responding during the inter-trial-intervals. On the other hand, no marked changes in discrimination performance were observed. It is concluded that the most significant effects of these benzodiazepines are on motor mechanisms.

Authors: Tye, N; Sahgal, A; Iversen, S

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Psychopharmacology
• Volume: 52
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 191-194
• Publication date: 1977-04-01
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00439109
• EISSN: 1432-2072
• ISSN: 0033-3158
• Language: English
• Keywords: Discrimination (Psychology); Reinforcement Schedule; Flurazepam; Columbidae; Animals; Anti-Anxiety Agents; Reaction Time; Chlordiazepoxide