Dopamine, chick behavior, and states of attention

• Published in: Journal of comparative & physiological psychology Vol. 94; no. 2; pp. 346 - 352
• Main Authors: de Lanerolle, N. C, Millam, J. R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Psychological Association 01-04-1980; Williams and Wilkins Co
• Subjects: Animal; Animal Vocalizations; Animals; Apomorphine; Apomorphine - pharmacology; Attention - drug effects; Attention - physiology; Behavior, Animal - drug effects; Behavior, Animal - physiology; Chickens; Dopamine; Dopamine - physiology; Drugs; Haloperidol; Haloperidol - pharmacology; Infants (Animal); Male; Motor Processes; Pimozide; Pimozide - pharmacology; Receptors, Dopamine - drug effects; Tonic Immobility; Vocalization, Animal - drug effects; Vocalization, Animal - physiology
• ISSN: 0021-9940
• DOI: 10.1037/h0077673

Observed the effects of apomorphine hydrochloride (A) (1 mg/kg) on the behavior of normal 5-day-old domestic chicks and on chicks pretreated with pimozide (P) (5 mg/kg) or haloperidol (H) (10 mg/kg). A increased locomotion, and pecks at conspicuous objects were antagonized by P and H. A-induced decreases in the number of comfort movements and the duration of immobility were completely antagonized by P and H, whereas the reduction in the duration of eye closure was only partially reversed. P and H by themselves decreased locomotion, comfort movements, pecks at S's own legs, and total number of pecks observed, and each increased the duration of eye closure. Head shakes, body shakes, and pecks at the S's own legs were increased by apomorphine only in P- and H-pretreated Ss. In the dark, A induced very few trills, but twitters were increased. It is argued that many of the behavioral changes induced by the above drugs may be caused through dopamine-dependent mechanisms and that the changes in behavior are the consequence of a primary change in the bird's "attention" to stimuli. (17 ref)