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Haloperidol reduces ethanol-induced motor activity stimulation but not conditioned place preference

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Abstract

This experiment examined the impact of a dopamine receptor blocker on ethanol's rewarding effect in a place conditioning paradigm. DBA/2J mice received four pairings of a tactile stimulus with ethanol (2 g/kg, IP), haloperidol (0.1 mg/kg, IP) + ethanol, or haloperidol alone. A different stimulus was paired with saline. Ethanol produced increases in locomotor activity that were reduced by haloperidol. However, conditioned preference for the ethanol-paired stimulus was not affected by haloperidol. Haloperidol alone decreased locomotor activity during conditioning and produced a place aversion. These results indicate a dissociation of ethanol's activating and rewarding effects. Moreover, they suggest that ethanol's ability to induce conditioned place preference is mediated by nondopaminergic mechanisms.

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Risinger, F.O., Dickinson, S.D. & Cunningham, C.L. Haloperidol reduces ethanol-induced motor activity stimulation but not conditioned place preference. Psychopharmacology 107, 453–456 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245175

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02245175

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