Abstract
Several cholinergic and adrenergic agents were administered to five squirrel monkeys in a titration schedule to ascertain their effects upon aversive thresholds. A narcotic analgesic, morphine sulfate, in several doses was able to reliably increase the aversive threshold. Scopolamine hydrobromide and d-amphetamine sulfate elevated the aversive threshold upon initial administration, but this effect was lost after the animals had experienced several drug sessions. Thus, animals demonstrated pronounced drug tolerance in response to these two agents. Amphetamine also produced increased general motor activity and stereotyped behaviors. Futhermore, amphetamine produced a response profile which strongly suggested that animals were responding without regard to the shock intensity presented. Pilocarpine nitrate and scopolamine methylbromide had no reliable effects upon behavior given alone or in conjuction with each other. α-Methyl-p-tyrosine in several doses reliably increased the aversive threshold and reduced response rates in all animals tested. These results suggested that adrenergic mechanisms may be involved in mediating the aversive qualities of electric shock.
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