THE EFFECTS OF AMYGDALOID STIMULATION ON AMPHETAMINE-ELICITED LOCOMOTOR SENSITIZATION

Systemic injection of d-amphetamine (1.0 mg/kg) resulted in a progress ive increase in locomotor activity as a function of repeated daily dru g administration. The magnitude of the stimulant-induced sensitization effect was enhanced by low-current electrical stimulation of the cent ral nucleus of the amygdala during open-field testing. Amygdaloid stim ulation in the absence of amphetamine treatment did not influence spon taneous locomotor activity, and there was no behavioral evidence of ep ileptogenesis following amygdaloid stimulation over the course of the experiment. However, with continued stimulation of the amygdala, early -stage convulsive activity was apparent in animals after approximately 40 days of testing, signifying the advancement of kindling evolution. These results suggest that the processes responsible for kindling acq uisition, prior to the behavioral expression of epileptiform events, i nteract with the underlying substrates of amphetamine sensitization.