Effects of scopolamine and methscopolamine on brightness discrimination reinforced by opportunity for exploration.

Abstract

8 scopolamine-injected male albino Sprague-Dawley rats, motivated by the opportunity for exploration, made significantly more exploratory choices than 8 saline- or 8 methscopolamine-injected controls on a brightness discrimination. Methscopolamine-injected Ss made significantly more exploratory choices than saline controls. The scopolamine-injected Ss run with the bright stimulus positive showed a marked tendency to develop position habits. Data show that the attenuation of central-acetylcholine activity by scopolamine reduces the normal inhibitory effects of nonreward. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)