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Effects of LSD, Ritanserin, 8-OH-DPAT, and Lisuride on Classical Conditioning in the Rabbit
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Effects of LSD, Ritanserin, 8-OH-DPAT, and Lisuride on Classical Conditioning in the Rabbit

S.E Welsh, W.J Kachelries, A.G Romano, K.J Simansky and J.A Harvey
Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior, v 59(2), pp 469-475
1998
PMID: 9476997

Abstract

Learning Nictitating membrane Serotonin Lysergic acid diethylamide Rabbit 5-HT 2A/2C receptor Blink reflex Classical conditioning Ritanserin
d-Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), an agonist at the 5-HT 2A/2C and 5-HT 1A receptors, has previously been demonstrated to enhance associative learning as measured by accelerated acquisition of the rabbit’s classically conditioned nictitating membrane (NM) response. The present study examined further the role of these receptors in the action of LSD. LSD (30 nmol/kg, IV) significantly enhanced conditioned response (CR) acquisition to both tone and light conditioned stimuli (CSs), while the 5-HT 1A receptor agonists 8-hydroxy-2-(dipropylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT; 50 and 200 nmol/kg) and lisuride (0.3–30 nmol/kg) had no effect. Ritanserin (6.7–6700 nmol/kg, SC), a selective 5-HT 2A/2C receptor antagonist, retarded acquisition of CRs to both tone and light CSs in a dose-dependent manner. Ritanserin (6.7–670 nmol/kg, SC) also dose dependently antagonized the enhancement of CR conditioning produced by LSD (30 nmol/kg, IV) to both tone and light CSs. We conclude that the enhancement of CR acquisition by LSD was due to an action at the 5-HT 2A/2C receptor. These results suggest that the 5-HT 2A/2C receptor plays an important role in learning.

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Behavioral Sciences
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