RationaleAnimal models of mania lack genuine cognitive parameters. The present gold standard of mania models, amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion, is rather unspecific and does not necessarily target its cardinal symptoms. Therefore, alternative behavioral markers that are sensitive to stimulants are required.ObjectivesIn the present study, by combining the psychostimulant-induced model of mania in rodents with the recently developed ambiguous-cue interpretation (ACI) tests, we investigated the effects of chronic administration of d-amphetamine and cocaine on the cognitive judgment bias of rats.MethodsTo accomplish this goal, in two separate experiments, previously trained animals received chronic, daily injections of either d-amphetamine (2 mg/kg) or cocaine (10 mg/kg) for 2 weeks and were subsequently tested with the ACI procedure.ResultsChronic treatment with both psychostimulants did not make rats more “optimistic.”ConclusionsThe results are discussed in terms of behavioral and pharmacological actions of the tested compounds and their implications for modeling mania in animals.