Behavioral activating
effects of adrafinil in aged canines.
Siwak CT, Gruet P, Woehrle F, Schneider M,
Muggenburg BA, Murphey HL, Callahan H, Milgram NW
Division of Life Sciences,
University of Toronto at Scarborough,
1265 Military
Trail, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Scarborough, Canada.
Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2000 Jun;66(2):293-300
ABSTRACT
Adrafinil, a vigilance enhancing pharmaceutical, was administered to aged dogs
for 14 consecutive days at doses of 10, 20, 30, or 40 mg/kg using a crossover
design. The effects on spontaneous behavior in a 10-min canine open-field test
were systematically recorded every fourth day, starting with day 1 of
treatment. The open field tests were given 2 or 10 h following oral
administration of capsules containing either adrafinil or lactose, the placebo
control. Adrafinil caused an increase in locomotor activity at the three
highest doses at both the 2- and 10-h intervals and during both the first
(days 1 and 5) and second treatment week (days 9 and 13). Adrafinil also
caused a transient increase in directed sniffing. At the highest dose level, adrafinil caused a decrease in urination frequency. The increased locomotion
was generally unaccompanied by stereotypical behavior in the test session. There was some variability; a subpopulation of animals showed either no
effect, or decreased locomotion. The individual differences were correlated
with changes in serum levels of adrafinil 10 h following treatment.
