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Comparison of stimulants and hallucinogens on shuttle avoidance in rats.

W M Davis, H T Hatoum

General pharmacology 1987 DOI: 10.1016/0306-3623(87)90237-0 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Preclinical animal study Peer reviewed
Population Rats trained to a high level of performance of a conditioned avoidance response in a shuttlebox
Interventions mescaline 3 stimulants
Key points The biphasic pattern of mescaline's effects on shuttlebox avoidance was replicated and extended to 12 other hallucinogens of both phenylethylamine and indolealkylamine classes. Hallucinogen response patterns could be differentiated from those of three stimulants and from a methoxyamphetamine compound lacking hallucinogenic activity.

Abstract

Rats were trained to a high level of performance of a conditioned avoidance response in a shuttlebox to test effects of several classical stimulants in comparison to a variety of hallucinogens. A previously-reported biphasic pattern of effects of mescaline on shuttle avoidance was replicated and extended to 12 other hallucinogens of both phenylethylamine and indolealkylamine classes. Response patterns of hallucinogens could be differentiated from 3 stimulants and from a methoxyamphetamine compound that lacks hallucinogenic activity.