Long-term aversion to a saccharin solution induced by repeated amphetamine injections

The 2 mg/kg dose of amphetamine was shown to facilitate intracranial self-stimulation as well as to induce an aversion to saccharin, and treatment with alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine blocked the effect on sacchar in intake of Amphetamine given before, but not amphetamine given after presentation of the saccharIn.

Abstract

In rats repeated 2 mg/kg injections of d-amphetamine given 30 min after imbibition of a 0.1% saccharin solution proved to be as effective in reducing saccharin intake as 2 mg/kg injections of d-amphetamine given 30 min before presentation of this saccharin solution. Treatment with alpha-methyl-para-tyrosine blocked the effect on saccharin intake of amphetamine given before, but not amphetamine given after presentation of the saccharin. After amphetamine injections were terminated, subsequent saccharin vs. water preference testing showed that the amphetamine injections given after but not the injections given before resulted in a long-term aversion to the saccharin solution. In a second experiment, the 2 mg/kg dose of amphetamine was shown to facilitate intracranial self-stimulation as well as to induce an aversion to saccharin.