Effects of central versus intraperitoneal D-amphetamine administration on learned behavior.

Abstract

Selective doses of d-amphetamine injected intraperitoneally, intraventricularly, and intrahypothalamically impaired performance of 62 naive male albino Sprague-Dawley rats on learned behavior. Intrahippocampal administration of 20 MUg. of d-amphetamine was ineffective, whereas the same dose given intraventricularly and intrahypothalamically produced impairment in performance. It is concluded that the drug impaired but never enhanced performance; that the performance impairment is not due to the drug's motor-stimulating properties; that d-amphetamine acts on selective regions of the brain and the ascending adrenergic pathway, particularly the hypothalamus, to mediate the drug's effect on behavior. (17 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)