The effects of some psychotropic drugs on conditioned avoidance and aggressive behaviors

Summary Chlorpromazine, chlordiazepoxide, meprobamate, and pentobarbital were evaluated for their ability to alter 3 behaviors: 1. unconditioned escape, 2. conditioned avoidance, and 3. isolation-induced aggression, in the same species of mouse. A comparison of the dose of each drug necessary to alter these behaviors revealed quantitative differences between the drugs by which chlorpromazine and chlordiazepoxide may be differentiated from each other as well as from pentobarbital and meprobamate.Supported by a research grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (MH-07397-02), U.S. Public Health Service.Portion of a thesis presented by Henry F. Cole in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Science Degree at The Ohio State University.Predoctoral Fellow 1964–65, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Public Health Service.