Diazepam`s effects on consummatory extinction.

Frustration can be defined as the emotional reaction that is caused by an unexpected decrease or omission of a reward. One of the experimental procedures used to induce frustration is the consummatory Extinction; in which rats receive a 32% sucrose solution and then suddenly do not receive any reward. The results obtained in this study indicate that administration of diazepam accelerate the suppression of the conditioned response to the empty sipper tube. The obtained data are consistent with the effect of other anxiolytic-like treatments on consummatory extinction and operant procedures using the lever press response. However, they are opposite to those observed in other consummatory procedures that used water for thirsty animals and other instrumental tasks in which diazepam delay the extinction of the response. The data are discussed in relation to the controversial role of anxiolytics in the extinction of a previously acquired response.