Depression & Sexual Function – Differential Reinforcement of Low Rate of Responding
Differential reinforcement of low rates of responding (DRL) is an operant test that requires behavioral suppression: the withholding of a response for a period of time such as 72 seconds (‘DRL72s’). DRL72s has predictive validity for antidepressant drugs. Administration of different classes of antidepressant (tricyclics, MAOIs, SSRIs) results in a decrease in response rate and an increase in reinforcement rate. Non-antidepressant drugs have different profiles of effects, such as, psychostimulants, which increase lever-presses and decrease reinforcers earned.
The tricyclic antidepressant imipramine (at doses of 3 - 30.0 mg/kg; i.p.) increases the reinforcement rate and decreases the response rate.
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The tricyclic antidepressant desipramine (at doses of 10 - 30.0 mg/kg; i.p.) increases the reinforcement rate and decreases the response rate.
The serotonin reuptake inhibitor and antidepressant fluvoxamine (at a dose of 30.0 mg/kg; i.p.) increases the reinforcement rate and decreases the response rate.
The triple reuptake inhibitor DOV216,303 significantly increases the reinforcement rate (at a dose of 10 mg/kg; i.p) and decreases the response rate (at a dose of 30.0 mg/kg; i.p).
