Impulsive behavior poses a serious risk to individuals and the therapeutic effects that stimulants have on this behavior have yet to be determined. The present study examined the effects of acute administration of two stimulants, nicotine and methylphenidate, under a Paced Fixed Consecutive Number Schedule of reinforcement on a specific component of impulsivity -- the tendency to prematurely terminate chains of responses. Spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were trained to complete a minimum number of consecutive responses on one lever, before responding on another lever. At high dosages of the individual stimulants, impulsivity increased for the WKY rats, but was relatively constant for the SHR strain. These results suggest that the SHR strain is less sensitive to the neurological effects of both nicotine and methylphenidate.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Ibbitson, Sara Lynn
• O'Connell, Christine Jean
• Toledo, Cristina Marie

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 04D071M

Advisor

• Ryder, Elizabeth F.

Year

• 2004

Date created

• 2004-01-01

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Biology & Biotechnology

Rights statement

• In Copyright