Abstract:

Rationale The startle reflex to a sudden intense acoustic pulse stimulus is attenuated if the pulse is shortly preceded by a weak prepulse stimulus. This represents a form of sensory gating, known as prepulse inhibition (PPI), observable across species. PPI is modulated by dopamine and readily disrupted by acute amphetamine. Prior repeated exposures to amphetamine also disrupt PPI even when the drug is not present during test, suggesting that a sensitized mesolimbic dopamine system—inducible even by a single exposure to amphetamine—might be responsible. However, this causative link has been challenged by inconsistent efficacy between different amphetamine pre-treatment regimes, which all robustly sensitize the behavioral response to amphetamine.

Author affiliation: Peleg Raibstein, Daría. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich. Laboratory of Behavioural Neurobiology; Alemania

Author affiliation: Hauser, Jonas. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich. Laboratory of Behavioural Neurobiology; Alemania

Author affiliation: Llano Lopez, Luis H.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; Argentina

Author affiliation: Feldon, Joram. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich. Laboratory of Behavioural Neurobiology; Alemania

Author affiliation: Gargiulo, Pascual Angel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; Argentina

Author affiliation: Yee, Benjamín K.. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich. Laboratory of Behavioural Neurobiology; Alemania