Effects of gamma-hydroxybutyrate on punished responding in pigeons.

The abuse of drugs such gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) has become a serious drug abuse problem in recent years; however, data on the behavioral effects of GHB are limited. Drugs that increase punished behavior are frequently subject to abuse. The purpose of the present experiments was to determine whether GHB increases punished responding in pigeons as might be predicted on the basis of its depressant activity and abuse liability in humans. GHB increased punished responding to an extent comparable to pentobarbital, suggesting that GHB has antianxiety effects that might contribute to its abuse liability.