The effects of amphetamine on a multitrial partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE) in a runway

J. Feldon, H. Bercovitz, I. Weiner*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Three experiments examined the effects of d-amphetamine (1 mg/kg) administration on the partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE) using a multitrial procedure. Two groups of rats were trained to run in a straight alley. The continuously reinforced (CRF) group received food reward on every trial. The partially reinforced (PRF) group was rewarded on a quasi-random 50% schedule. All animals were then tested in extinction. Experiments 1 and 2 used 6 trials/day with an intertrial interval (ITI) of 5 min. In Experiment 1 the drug was administered only during acquisition, whereas in Experiment 2 it was administered throughout acquisition and extinction. Experiment 3 used 3 trials/day with a 20 min ITI. The drug was administered throughout acquisition and extinction. In all three experiments, amphetamine-treated animals showed a normal PREE, i.e., increased resistance to extinction in PRF as compared to CRF animals. These results stand in marked contrast to the amphetamine-induced abolition of the PREE with 1 trial/day procedure.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)55-63
Number of pages9
JournalPharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior
Volume32
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1989

Keywords

  • Continuous reinforcement
  • Intertrial interval
  • Partial reinforcement
  • Rat
  • Resistance to extinction
  • d-Amphetamine

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