EFFECTS OF MORPHINE ON LEARNED ADAPTIVE RESPONSES AND EXPERIMENTAL NEUROSES IN CATS

Abstract

The effects of opiates on the behavior of experimental animals have been described by several authors, the more detailed accounts being those of Tatum, Seevers and Collins¹ (rabbit, cat, dog and monkey), Kolb and DuMez² (monkey) and Spragg³ (chimpanzee). These investigators were primarily concerned with the development of tolerance to and the signs of physical dependence on withdrawal of the drug. The descriptions relating to behavior are therefore confined to the spontaneous activity of the animals, although Spragg³ included an account of the performance of the chimpanzee on tests of delayed response and multiple choice during addiction to and withdrawal of the drug. The present report is concerned with the effects of morphine on spontaneous behavior, "conditioned" responses and experimentally produced "neuroses" in cats. METHODS Five healthy cats were used in these experiments. With 1 exception none of these cats had ever before been used for