Date of Award

8-1989

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. R. Wayne Fuqua

Second Advisor

Dr. David Lyon

Third Advisor

Dr. Dennis Simpson

Fourth Advisor

Dr. Alan Poling

Abstract

The partial inverse benzodiazepine receptor agonist, Ro 15-4513, is a recently synthesized compound with the ability to antagonize some of the biochemical and behavioral effects of low to moderate doses of ethanol and related CNS depressants. The present investigations sought to explore further the behavioral actions of Ro 15-4513. In Experiment 1, the effects of acute (0.6-5.4 mg/kg) and chronic (5.4 mg/kg) administrations of Ro 15-4513 on rats' schedule-induced consumption of water and 8% ethanol solution were examined. Acute and chronic administrations of Ro 15-4513 slightly reduced consumption of both liquids. No selective effects on ethanol consumption were observed.

In Experiment 2, the acute and chronic effects of Ro 15-4513 were examined in pigeons responding under a multiple fixed-ratio 25 interresponse-time-greater-than-6-seconds (mult FR 25 IRT $>$ 6-sec) schedule of food delivery. Acute administrations of Ro 15-4513 (1.0-5.4 mg/kg) produced dose-related reductions in response rates under the FR component, but had no effect on rates under the IRT $>$ 6-sec component. Some tolerance to the rate-suppressing effects of Ro 15-4513 was evident when 5.4 mg/kg was given chronically.

In all, the present findings are consistent with a growing body of literature indicating that (a) Ro 15-4513 does not selectively block all of the behavioral effects of ethanol, and (b) Ro 15-4513 alone is behaviorally active. Contrary to early reports, Ro 15-4513 is not a selective amethystic agent without intrinsic behavioral activity.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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