An experimental paradigm for studying the discriminative stimulus properties of drugs in humans. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • An experimental paradigm for studying the discriminative stimulus effects of drugs in human subjects is presented. The paradigm was tested by training subjects to discriminate 10 mg d-amphetamine from placebo. Subjects who successfully learned the discrimination were then tested with two lower doses of d-amphetamine and with 10 mg diazepam. The discriminative stimulus properties of d-amphetamine were dose-dependent, and in two of five subjects the d-amphetamine stimulus generalized to diazepam. The simplicity and versatility of the paradigm give it the potential for use in a wide variety of experimental and clinical situations.

publication date

  • January 1, 1984