Effects of triethyltin and its interaction with d-amphetamine and chlorpromazine on responding under a multiple schedule of food presentation in rats.

Effects of triethyltin (TET) were studied in rats performing under a multiple fixed-ratio 30 fixed-interval 5-min schedule of food presentation. A dose of 1.0 mg/kg TET produced only marginal effects on responding. A dose of 3.0 mg/kg suppressed responding 3 hours after administration, but responding returned to control levels by the next day. During a period 2 to 6 weeks after the 3.0 mg/kg dose, small rate increases were observed for fixed-interval responding. The 5.6 mg/kg dose eliminated responding under both schedule components and all the animals died on the fourth day. Rats were also given d-amphetamine and chlorpromazine before and beginning six weeks after 1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg TET treatment. Both doses of TET attenuated the rate-increasing effect of d-amphetamine on fixed-interval responding, but d-amphetamine dose-effect curves determined before and after TET administration differed significantly only for 3.0 mg/kg dose of TET. Chlorpromazine dose-effect curves did not differ significantly before and after TET treatment.