Date of Award
12-1981
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. David O. Lyon
Second Advisor
Dr. Arthur Snapper
Third Advisor
Dr. Alan Poling
Fourth Advisor
Dr. C. Dennis Simpson
Abstract
The present studies examined the effects of acute and chronic administrations of phenytoin on the responding of pigeons and rats maintained under fixed-ratio, fixed-interval, and interresponse-time-greater-than-t schedules of food reinforcement. These schedules typically engender different rates and temporal patterns of responding and are often differentially affected by drugs. The results indicated that phenytoin, given acutely, produced dose-dependent decreases in the response rate of rats and pigeons maintained under fixed-ratio and fixed-interval schedules. Response rates under the fixed-interval and inter response-time-greater-than-t schedules were little affected by the drug. A degree of tolerance was observed to phenytoin's rate-decreasing effects when the drug was given chronically. These findings are contrasted with the behavioral actions of other anticonvulsants, and their possible clinical implications discussed.
Access Setting
Dissertation-Open Access
Recommended Citation
Krafft, Kathleen M., "Effects of Phenytoin on Schedule-Controlled Performance" (1981). Dissertations. 2577.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/2577