Inhibition of spontaneous and methamphetamine-induced locomotor activity with centrally active drugs in mice

Abstract

In an effort to discover if various classes of drugs could be differentiated on the basis of their ability to inhibit spontaneous and methamphetamine-induced locomotor activity, a series of drugs with a variety of pharmacological effects was tested for activity as inhibitors of spontaneous and methamphetamine-induced locomotor activity in mice. When ED 50 values for the inhibition of spontaneous locomotor activity are compared to those for inhibition of locomotor activity in the presence of methamphetamine, it is found that approximately the same doses produce 50% inhibition of locomotor activity in both cases. It appears that effects on locomotor activity in the presence and absence of methamphetamine, as described in this paper, cannot be used to differentiate among the various classes of drugs tested. This finding implies that interpretation of anti-methamphetamine activity in drugs must be done with caution.