Depressing Effect of Methamphetamine on Self-stimulation in the Cat

Abstract

IT has been shown that the lateral hypothalamus is involved in the feeding response and also in the rewarding reaction to certain stimuli¹. This suggests that amphetamine, an anorexic agent, should depress the self-stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus. Several investigators' using the variable interval as a reinforcement schedule, have, however, reported that the amphetamines, at relatively small doses, had facilitating effects—that is, they caused an increase in response and a lowering of the threshold². In contrast to these observations, the present study shows that methamphetamine, in appropriate doses which depress food and water intake, decreased the rate of response and elevated the threshold for self-stimulation of the lateral hypothalamus.