Date of Award

12-1985

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. M. Kay Malott

Second Advisor

Dr. Jack Michael

Third Advisor

Dr. David Lyon

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

The antiestrogen tamoxifen citrate (Stuart Pharmaceuticals) is indicated for treatment of breast cancer. Tamoxifen (TMX) is frequently employed because of demonstrated effectiveness in tumor reduction and a low incidence of debilitating side effects compared to similar agents. Even though side effects are uncommon with use of TMX, medical and behavioral sequalae have been noted. The present , . study investigated several behaviors in female rats administered TMX in two separate studies. In the first investigation, the effects of 25 daily treatments of TMX upon body weight, water intake, and several behaviors were assayed. In the second study, aversion to a saccharin solution (CS) temporally paired with TMX (UCS) was assessed. Results from Experiment I indicated that TMX exerted a decremental effect, upon body weight; differences in water intake were also noted while behaviors recorded during the behavioral assays were not affected. In Experiment II, following five pairings of saccharin solution with TMX, subjects did not evidence avoidance of saccharin across treatment trials. It is suggested that TMX's selective effect upon body weight mimicked the effects of estrogen-induced weight loss affecting receptor sites of the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary, liver, and adipose tissue.

Included in

Psychology Commons

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