Haloperidol reduces ethanol-induced motor activity stimulation but not conditioned place preference

Fred O. Risinger, Shelly D. Dickinson, Christopher L. Cunningham

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

99 Scopus citations

Abstract

This experiment examined the impact of a dopamine receptor blocker on ethanol's rewarding effect in a place conditioning paradigm. DBA/2J mice received four pairings of a tactile stimulus with ethanol (2 g/kg, IP), haloperidol (0.1 mg/kg, IP) + ethanol, or haloperidol alone. A different stimulus was paired with saline. Ethanol produced increases in locomotor activity that were reduced by haloperidol. However, conditioned preference for the ethanol-paired stimulus was not affected by haloperidol. Haloperidol alone decreased locomotor activity during conditioning and produced a place aversion. These results indicate a dissociation of ethanol's activating and rewarding effects. Moreover, they suggest that ethanol's ability to induce conditioned place preference is mediated by nondopaminergic mechanisms.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)453-456
Number of pages4
JournalPsychopharmacology
Volume107
Issue number2-3
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1992

Keywords

  • Conditioned place aversion
  • Conditioned place preference
  • Dopamine system
  • Ethanol
  • Haloperidol
  • Inbred mice (DBA/2J)
  • Locomotor activity
  • Reward

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology

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