Date of Award
8-1993
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Dr. Alan D. Poling
Second Advisor
Dr. Jack Michael
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
Although the progressive-ratio (PR) schedule has been used frequently to quantify the reinforcing effectiveness of self-administered drugs, it has seldom been used to examine the effects of drugs on food-maintained behavior and has never been used to evaluate the effects of cocaine on such behavior. In the present study, the effects of acute administrations of cocaine were evaluated in pigeons responding under a PR schedule of food delivery. Overall, cocaine produced a dose-dependent effect on food-maintained behavior. In general, acute administrations of cocaine at 0.56 to 3.2 mg/kg increased breaking points, whereas doses above 5.6 mg/kg decreased breaking points. Low doses of cocaine slightly increased the rate of responding in most of the subjects. Higher doses decreased response rates in generally dose-dependent fashion. Although cocaine reduces food intake and subjective hunger for food, the present data indicate that the drug reduces the reinforcing effectiveness of food only at high doses.
Recommended Citation
Jones, Claudia Ann, "The Acute Effects of Cocaine in Pigeons Performing under a Progressive-Ratio Schedule" (1993). Masters Theses. 839.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/839