Effects of acute administration of d-amphetamine and haloperidol on procedural learning in man

Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1997 Feb;129(3):271-6. doi: 10.1007/s002130050190.

Abstract

The effects of an indirect dopamine-agonist, d-amphetamine, and a non-selective dopamine receptor antagonist, haloperidol, were investigated in normal male volunteers using a between-subjects double-blind design in a procedural learning task, thought mainly to involve unconscious/automatic learning. The results showed: (1) d-amphetamine facilitated response speed, whereas haloperidol inhibited it, in comparison to placebo; (2) the linear increase in procedural learning corresponded with pharmacological manipulation of degree of dopaminergic activity, i.e. subjects given haloperidol showed the least, and subjects given d-amphetamine the greatest, procedural learning. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to investigation of abnormalities of procedural learning processes in schizophrenia.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Dextroamphetamine / pharmacology*
  • Dopamine Agonists / pharmacology*
  • Dopamine Antagonists / pharmacology*
  • Haloperidol / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Learning / drug effects*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged

Substances

  • Dopamine Agonists
  • Dopamine Antagonists
  • Haloperidol
  • Dextroamphetamine