Effects of exposure to stressful stimuli on the free-choice consumption of various phenethylamines by rats.

Abstract

In an attempt to investigate whether a relationship exists between exposure to stressful stimuli and the consumption of CNS stimulants, rats were given continuous access to an 0.1% saccharin solution and either d-amphetamine (AMP), methamphetamine (MET) or phenylpropanolamine (PPA) at two concentrations. Animals were exposed to either isolation/novel environment or immobilization stress repetitively over a two week period on an irregular/unpredictable schedule. No differences were seen between control (non-stressed) and stressed animals with respect to the volume of AMP, MET or PPA consumed either during stress or in two weeks post-stress. All three drugs failed to demonstrate any oral reinforcing properties as evaluated by positional perseveration. In contrast to earlier work using ethanol, the data suggests that stress has very little influence over the oral ingestion of phenethylamines.