Anxiogenic aspects of diazepam withdrawal can be detected in animals

Michael Emmett-Oglesby, David Spencer, Marilyn Lewis, Fatma Elmesallamy, Harbans Lal

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

Animals can be trained to discriminate the presence of pentylenetetrazol, and this discrimination has previously been proposed as an animal bioassay for anxiogenicity. In rats made dependent on diazepam, pentylenetetrazol-like stimuli occured during spontaneous or precipitated (with RO 15-1788) withdrawal; these stimuli were blocked by pentobarbital. These results demonstrate that the pentylenetetrazol-based animal model of anxiety can be used to objectively quantify a subjective aspect of benzodiazepine dependence/withdrawal.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)127-130
Number of pages4
JournalEuropean Journal of Pharmacology
Volume92
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - 19 Aug 1983

Keywords

  • Anxiety
  • Dependence
  • Diazepam
  • Pentylenetetrazol
  • RO 15-1788
  • Withdrawal

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