Abstract
Seventy-five rats were trained to avoid footshock in the Baum jump-up apparatus. Subsequent to training, the rats were injected with one of five different doses of nicotine, and the rats’ persistence in responding was observed with the shocker disconnected (extinction). Only the high dose of nicotine (.8 mg/kg) had a significant effect on resistance to extinction, eliminating most responding and appearing to be physically debilitating. Intermediate doses (.05–.4 mg/kg) had a nonsignificant tendency to increase extinction responding. These results are contrasted with results obtained in a similar paradigm using other drugs.
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This paper is based on a master’s thesis by Michel Tremblay. Research funding was provided by grants to Morrie Baum from the National Research Council of Canada, and from the Conseil de Recherche, Universite de Moncton. M. Tremblay’s mailing address is: 1612 des Grands Dues, Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada G7H 5T1. M. Baum’s mailing address is: 1570 Lawrence Avenue West, Suite 205, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6L 1C2.
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Tremblay, M., Baum, M. Effects of nicotine on the resistance to extinction of a jump-up avoidance response in rats. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 23, 341–342 (1985). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03330177
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03330177