Effect of verapamil on submissive behavior in genetically bred hypercholinergic rats in a water competition test.
Male hypercholinergic FSL (Flinders Sensitive Line) and control FRL (Flinders Resistant Line) rats were placed on a water deprivation schedule and tested for dominance behavior with FSL/FRL pairs competing for water. FSL rats spent significantly less time drinking than their FRL partners. Acute injection of 10 mg/kg of verapamil, a calcium channel inhibitor, to FSL rats markedly increased their drinking time without influencing water intake in individually tested rats. This effect of the drug was no longer seen after prolonged 4 day treatment. It is suggested that submissiveness of FSL animals in the water competition test might be due to increased fear which is alleviated by verapamil treatment. Tolerance seems to develop to this effect of the drug.
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- Verapamil
- Social Dominance
- Rats, Inbred Strains
- Rats
- Pharmacology & Pharmacy
- Parasympathetic Nervous System
- Male
- Competitive Behavior
- Behavioral Science & Comparative Psychology
- Behavior, Animal
Citation
Published In
DOI
ISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Location
Related Subject Headings
- Verapamil
- Social Dominance
- Rats, Inbred Strains
- Rats
- Pharmacology & Pharmacy
- Parasympathetic Nervous System
- Male
- Competitive Behavior
- Behavioral Science & Comparative Psychology
- Behavior, Animal