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Self-injection of barbiturates and benzodiazepines in baboons

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Abstract

Self-injection of three barbiturates, six benzodiazepines, and chlorpromazine was examined in baboons. Intravenous injections of drug were dependent upon completion of 160 lever presses (a 160-response fixed-ratio schedule). A 3-h time-out period followed each injection, permitting a maximum of eight injections per day. Prior to testing each dose of drug, self-injection performance was established with cocaine. Subsequently, a test dose was substituted for cocaine. Amobarbital, pentobarbital, and secobarbital maintained the highest levels of self-injection, which were similar to those maintained by cocaine. Clonazepam, clorazepate, diazepam, flurazepam, medazepam, and midazolam maintained relatively modest levels of self-injection, while chlorpromazine maintained only low levels, which were in the range of vehicle control. Of the six benzodiazepines, midazolam produced the highest levels of self-injection. At the highest self-injected doses, the barbiturates produced anesthesia in contrast to the benzodiazepines, which produced only sedation. None of the drugs affected food intake except for chlorpromazine, which produced dose-related decreases. The differences among the drug classes (i.e., barbiturate, benzodiazepine, phenothiazine) with respect to the maintenance of self-injection correspond well with the results of previous animal and human drug self-administration studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 21205, Baltimore, Maryland, USA

    Roland R. Griffiths, Scott E. Lukas, L. DiAnne Bradford, Joseph V. Brady & Jack D. Snell

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  1. Roland R. Griffiths
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  2. Scott E. Lukas
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  3. L. DiAnne Bradford
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  4. Joseph V. Brady
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  5. Jack D. Snell
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Griffiths, R.R., Lukas, S.E., Bradford, L.D. et al. Self-injection of barbiturates and benzodiazepines in baboons. Psychopharmacology 75, 101–109 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432169

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00432169

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