D. Mills et R. Ledger, The effects of oral selegiline hydrochloride on learning and training in the dog: A psychobiological interpretation, PROG NEUR-P, 25(8), 2001, pp. 1597-1613
Citations number
29
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
PROGRESS IN NEURO-PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY & BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY
I, Twenty two healthy, non-problem dogs were assessed for their acquisition
of three different learning tasks on consecutive days and on the extinctio
n of the response in the third. In Task 1, dogs were trained to walk in a c
ircle on command, In Task 2, dogs were trained to retreat and sit on a mat.
In Task 3, dogs were assessed for the acquisition and extinction of an ope
rant response (pawing a panel).
2. Dogs were orally administered a placebo or selegiline hydrochloride at a
dose of 0.5mg/kg for a period of three weeks prior to testing and during t
he test period.
3. Dog's treated with selegiline tended to perform better at tasks which we
re clearly lured with a motivationally significant cue, performing a first
correct response sooner and requiring fewer reinforcements to reach the suc
cess criterion. They were also significantly more likely to walk over a nov
el object placed on the floor of the test arena. In the absence of a signif
icant lure, the selegiline treated dogs took significantly longer to reach
the required performance criterion for the operant task. These dogs also ex
tinguished their response more rapidly than the control group
4. In the third task, selegiline treated dogs were significantly less likel
y to look away and throughout all tasks these dogs tended to be less distra
cted than the placebo group.
5. These findings and other reports associated with the effects of selegili
ne on learning may be explained by reference to the effects of selegiline o
n dopaminergic structures associated with positive incentive motivation.