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Evidence for the sensitivity of operant timing behaviour to stimulation of D1 dopamine receptors

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Abstract

Rationale

Temporal differentiation of operant behaviour is sensitive to dopaminergic manipulations. Previous studies using the fixed-interval peak procedure implicated D2-like dopamine receptors in these effects. However, recent findings suggest that d-amphetamine alters timing performance on the free-operant psychophysical procedure via D1-like receptors. It is not known whether this effect of d-amphetamine is mimicked by direct D1-like receptor stimulation.

Objective

The effects of a D1-like receptor agonist 6-chloro-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine (SKF-81297) on performance on the free-operant psychophysical procedure and the interaction between SKF-81297 and a D1-like receptor antagonist 8-bromo-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepin-7-ol (SKF-83566) and a D2-like receptor antagonist haloperidol, were examined.

Materials and methods

Rats were trained to respond on two levers (A and B) under a free-operant psychophysical schedule, in which sucrose reinforcement was provided intermittently for responding on A during the first half and on B during the second half of 50-s trials. Logistic psychometric functions were fitted to the relative response rate data (percent responding on B [%B] vs time from trial onset [t]) under each treatment condition, and quantitative indices of timing (T50 [value of t corresponding to %B = 50] and the Weber fraction [(T75-T25)/2T50; T25 and T75 are values of t corresponding to %B = 25 and %B = 75] were compared among treatments.

Results

SKF-81297 (0.8 mg kg−1) reduced T50; this effect was antagonized by SKF-83566 (0.03 mg kg−1) but not by haloperidol (0.05, 0.1 mg kg−1).

Conclusions

Stimulation of D1-like dopamine receptors affects performance in the free-operant psychophysical procedure.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the BBSRC. We are grateful to Ms. V.K. Bak and Mr R.W. Langley for skilled technical help.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychopharmacology Section, Division of Psychiatry, University of Nottingham, Room B109, Medical School, Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK

    T. H. C. Cheung, G. Bezzina, C. L. Hampson, S. Body, C. M. Bradshaw & E. Szabadi

  2. School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK

    K. C. F. Fone

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  1. T. H. C. Cheung
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  2. G. Bezzina
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  3. C. L. Hampson
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  4. S. Body
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  5. K. C. F. Fone
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  6. C. M. Bradshaw
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  7. E. Szabadi
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Correspondence to C. M. Bradshaw.

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Cheung, T.H.C., Bezzina, G., Hampson, C.L. et al. Evidence for the sensitivity of operant timing behaviour to stimulation of D1 dopamine receptors. Psychopharmacology 195, 213–222 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-007-0892-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-007-0892-y

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