Rationale: Moderate doses of
d-amphetamine (given both acutely and chronically) have been shown to decrease impulsivity in children with attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and to improve attention and learning in normal adults. In contrast, chronic doses of methamphetamine
(METH) in drug abusers have been associated with increased impulsivity, and impairments in learning and attention.
Objectives: We report the effects of METH on an animal model of impulsive behavior.
Methods: Rats were tested using the adjusting amount (AdjAmt) procedure in which the animals choose between a delayed fixed (large)
amount of water and an immediate adjusting (small) amount of water. In the acute METH study, rats were given a single dose
of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 4.0 mg/kg METH or saline 30 min before testing. In the chronic METH study, we determined the effects
of the 4.0 mg/kg dose of METH injected chronically 1 h
after behavioral testing for 14 days. Thus the rats were tested using the AdjAmt procedure 22 h after injections of METH or saline.
Results: After 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg METH, the rats valued the delayed large rewards more than after saline, indicating that the
METH decreased impulsiveness. At the 4.0 mg/kg dose, the rats failed to respond. Rats treated repeatedly with the post-session
large behaviorally disruptive dose of METH valued the delayed large rewards less than the saline-treated rats, indicating
that this dosing regimen of METH increased impulsiveness.
Conclusions: In these experiments, the rats became less impulsive after acute non-disruptive doses of pre-session METH, whereas they became
more impulsive after receiving repeated post-session injections of a dose that was behaviorally disruptive when administered
acutely.
Key words Impulsivity - Choice - Delay - Methamphetamine - Drug abuse - Rat
Received: 1 May 1999 / Final version: 3 August 1999