Drug Control of Arousal and Nystagmic Habituation in the Cat

Abstract

Nystagmic habituation was compared in 45 cats (15 per group) exposed to repeated angular acceleration following injection of d-amphetamine sulfate, Nembutal, or a placebo. Although large differences in total slow-phase nystagmic output were found between the groups, the habituation pattern across trials was essentially unaffected. The results indicate that nystagmic habituation in total darkness reflects more than a loss of arousal, and demonstrate the value of d-amphetamine sulfate as a useful experimental control in the study of nystagmic habituation.