Abstract
This experiment investigated the anxiety-reducing effect of chlorpromazine with 20 rats, divided into two groups. The drugged group received daily throughout the experiment an i.p. injection of chlorpromazine. Controls were given during the same period isotonic saline injections. The heart rate was taken as the index of anxiety. In the first phase of the experiment, both groups were habituated to the testing box; then, all Ss were given 10 spaced shocks in the testing chamber (conditioned emotional response training). The extinction of the conditioned emotional response was next measured. The results showed that in all phases the anxiety level, as measured by heart rate, was significantly lower for the chlorpromazine group. In the third phase, heart-rate recordings were correlated with a specific motor activity. Although heart rate was higher for both groups during activity, the distinction between drugged and normal Ss was maintained.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.