Citation

Badiani A, Stewart J. Behav. Brain Res. 1999; 100(1-2): 217-223.

Affiliation

Department of Psychology, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109-1109, USA. alducci@umich.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10212069

Abstract

Drinking in the rat occurs in bursts of rapid licking, a high frequency rhythmic behavior controlled by a neural clock located in the brain stem. We found that 3.0 mg/kg amphetamine increased the speed of licking and shifted to the left the frequency distribution of inter-lick intervals. Repeated amphetamine treatments result in long-lasting sensitization to this effect. Thus, it appears possible to produce enduring changes in the activity of a biological interval clock (or 'stopwatch') by manipulating catecholaminergic transmission. These findings may be important for an understanding of the neural basis of normal and pathological timing behavior.

Language: en