Abstract
The effect of arginine- and des-glycinamide arginine vasopressin on steady-state operant responding was examined. Rats were trained to press a lever for food under a multiple fixed-interval 4-min fixed-ratio 30 schedule of reinforcement. Arg vasopressin (0.5 to 100μg/kg, subcutaneous) produced a dose-dependent decrease in response rate, but des-glycinamide arginine vasopressin (0.5 to l00μg/kg, subcutaneous) had no effect. Neither peptide significantly altered fixed-interval response patterning. These data suggest that vasopressin’s behavioral effects should be viewed in light of its aversive peripheral actions.
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We thank William Krivoy and John M. Stewart for their assistance in obtaining and testing AVP and DG-AVP.
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Cohen, S.L., Knight, M., Tamminga, C.A. et al. Effects of vasopressin on multiple fixed-ratio fixed-interval schedules of reinforcement. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 23, 531–534 (1985). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329875
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329875