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--- abstract: | Introduction: The frequency of spontaneous alternation in a Y-maze (visiting each arm in turn at p>50%) depends on the influence of the attention given to intra- and extra-maze cues. We examined the observing responses shown by rats (collateral rearing and head-turning behaviour), the habituation to the novelty and alternation responses over 15 minutes/day, four days in a row - in a Y-maze under enhanced and reduced dopamine (DA) activity (amphetamine- and haloperidol treatment). Methods: Prior to placement in a Y-maze for 15 minutes observation on 4 successive days animals were treated with either amphetamine (0.5 or 2.5 mg/kg) or pre-treated with a low dose of haloperidol (0.08 mg/kg, ip). Results: 1/ Amphetamine treated animals chose the arms at random on day 1, but after the higher dose on day 2-4 they perseverated their choice. The controls maintained their alternation over this period. 2/ The amphetamine-induced effects on alternation were prevented by prior treatment with the neuroleptic haloperidol. 3/ Amphetamine treatment increased the frequency of rearing in the middle at the choice point of the Y-maze. Haloperidol pre-treatment blocked this increase at the midpoint on day 1, and blocked the rearing behavior at the end of an arm on day 2. 4/ Amphetamine also increased the frequency of head turning and "looking", - an effect that was also prevented by haloperidol. (day 2 onwards). 5/ Haloperidol increased the duration of" looking" and of rearing at the end of an arm later in testing.. Conclusions: Two effects are postulated to have occurred. a) a conflict on day 1 between the novelty-controlled sensory or attentional effects, that leads to an alternation of arm-choice, and amphetamine-induced DA activity that facilitates an alternation of behavioural responses: -- the result was random choice and increased rearing at the choice point. b) On days 2-4 the drug-induced effects on switching motor responses came to control behaviour altloc: - http://www.biopsychology.uni-essen.de/Rat-Amph-Alternation-1985.htm chapter: ~ commentary: ~ commref: ~ confdates: ~ conference: ~ confloc: ~ contact_email: ~ creators_id: [] creators_name: - family: Oades given: R.D. honourific: '' lineage: '' - family: Taghzouti given: K. honourific: '' lineage: '' - family: Simon given: H. honourific: '' lineage: '' - family: Le Moal given: M. honourific: '' lineage: '' date: 1985 date_type: published datestamp: 2001-04-05 department: ~ dir: disk0/00/00/14/35 edit_lock_since: ~ edit_lock_until: ~ edit_lock_user: ~ editors_id: [] editors_name: [] eprint_status: archive eprintid: 1435 fileinfo: /style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png;/1435/2/rat%2Damph%2D85.pdf full_text_status: public importid: ~ institution: ~ isbn: ~ ispublished: pub issn: ~ item_issues_comment: [] item_issues_count: 0 item_issues_description: [] item_issues_id: [] item_issues_reported_by: [] item_issues_resolved_by: [] item_issues_status: [] item_issues_timestamp: [] item_issues_type: [] keywords: 'dopamine, DA, amphetamine, haloperidol, Y-maze, alternation, rearing, collateral behaviour, switching, novelty, attention, grooming, locomotion, rat, observing-response' lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:54:37 latitude: ~ longitude: ~ metadata_visibility: show note: ~ number: ~ pagerange: 123-128 pubdom: TRUE publication: Psychopharmacology publisher: Springer-Verlag refereed: TRUE referencetext: ~ relation_type: [] relation_uri: [] reportno: ~ rev_number: 10 series: ~ source: ~ status_changed: 2007-09-12 16:37:46 subjects: - behav-neuro-sci - bio-behav - neuro-pharm - physio-psy - psy-bio succeeds: ~ suggestions: ~ sword_depositor: ~ sword_slug: ~ thesistype: ~ title: 'Dopamine-sensitive alternation and collateral behaviour in a Y-maze: effects of d-amphetamine and haloperidol' type: journalp userid: 1054 volume: 85