simple integrated battery of tests for assessing the behavioral effects of drugs in rats

ABSTRACT

A program is under construction at present time in NODCAR for building up a neurobehavioral check-list of experiments, which can be easily and integratedly used in toxicological evaluations of drugs and chemicals. The present work is a part of this program. Its objective has been to evaluate the use of the open field test, the swimming test and the conditioned avoidance and escape behavior testing as an integrated battery for assessing the behavioral effects of drugs. The used animals were Sprague-Dawley rats. Two reference behaviorally action drugs were utilized, Chlorpromazine [1.5 and 3.0 mg/kg i.p.] and Amphetamine [1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg i.p.]. The evaluated parameters were latency, ambulation, rearing and grooming in the open field, swimming latency, swimming time direction in the swimming test, in addition to the avoidance behavior. The above mentioned methodologies were able to demonstrate the dose-dependent potential interference of Chlorpromazine and Amphetamine with emotionality, memory learning, motor activity and muscular coordination