Increased lever pressing for amphetamine after pimozide in rats: implications for a dopamine theory of reward

Abstract

Low and high doses of a dopamine blocking agent had effects on lever pressing for intravenous amphetamine reward which resembled the effects of reward reduction and reward termination, respectively. Noradrenaline blockade had no such effects. A role in central mediation of reward perception is suggested for dopamine but not for noradrenaline.