Effects of midazolam, DMCM and lindane on potentiated startle in the rat

Forty-eight male Wistar rats were exposed to contingent light-shock combinations and 48 rats received light and shock stimuli in a random order. One day after fear conditioning the animals were tested for startle potentiation after injection of midazolam (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mg/kg, IP) or DMCM (methyl-...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychopharmacologia 1989-01, Vol.99 (3), p.362-365
Main Authors: HIJZEN, T. H, SLANGEN, J. L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acoustic Stimulation
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Carbolines - pharmacology
Conditioning, Operant - drug effects
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
Hexachlorocyclohexane - pharmacology
Male
Medical sciences
Midazolam - pharmacology
Miscellaneous
Neuropharmacology
Neurotransmitters. Neurotransmission. Receptors
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Photic Stimulation
Rats
Rats, Inbred Strains
Reflex, Startle - drug effects
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Summary:Forty-eight male Wistar rats were exposed to contingent light-shock combinations and 48 rats received light and shock stimuli in a random order. One day after fear conditioning the animals were tested for startle potentiation after injection of midazolam (0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mg/kg, IP) or DMCM (methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate; 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4 mg/kg IP) or lindane (0, 7.5, 15.0, 30.0 mg/kg PO). Midazolam attenuated potentiated startle dose dependently and the inverse benzodiazepine agonist DMCM had the opposite effect. The effects of lindane on startle amplitudes were identical to those of DMCM, indicating that lindane has anxiogenic effects on behavior. It is suggested that the anxiogenic effects of lindane are mediated by an effect at the GABA-ionophore complex.
ISSN:0033-3158
1432-2072
DOI:10.1007/BF00445558