The purposes of the experiment I were to investigate the effects of chlorpromazine on escape and defensive responses and the switch-off behavior (SOB) motivated by hypothalamic stimulation in six tame adult cats. The experiment II was designed to compare the effects of chlorpromazine on SOB motivated by hypothalamic stimulation in the experimental box I with those in the experimental box II for eight tame adult cat. The boxes were so designed to perform SOB in the box I was easier than that in the box II.
Chlorpromazine (5mg/kg) was administrated by a intramuscular injection. In the experiment I, the threshold in voltage of escape and defensive responses and the response latency of SOB in the experimental box II were measured just before the administration of chlorpromazine and 1 hr, 2 hrs, 3 hrs, 4 hrs, and 5 hrs after the administration. In the experiment II, the response latency of SOB in experimental boxes I and II were measured just before the administration of chlorpromazine and 1hr, 2 hrs, 3 hrs, 4hrs, 5 hrs and 24 hrs after the administration.
The results were followings :
1. In the experiment I, it was not observed that the threshold of escape and defensive responses changed by the administration of chlorpromazine (Table 1). The response latency of SOB began to lengthen at about 2 hrs after the administration of chlorpromazine (Fig. 2).
2. In the experiment II, the response latency of SOB in the experimental box II was longer than that of SOB in the experimental box I after the administration of chlorpromazine (Fig. 3). The response latency of SOB began to lengthen at about 2 hrs after the administration of chlorpromazine and continued to lengthen till 5 hrs after the administration (Fig. 3). The latency of SOB at about 24 hrs after the administration of chlorpromazine was as long as before the administration.
3. From these observations, it was considered that the locus of actions of chlorpromazine in the brain was not the hypothalamus, but was the thalamic reticular system and the amygdala which might regulate the emotional responses produced by the hypothalamus.
View full abstract