Effects of N,N-dimethyltryptamine on behavioural habituation in the rat.

The processes involved in habituation and the various ways drugs might affect habituation are discussed. Exploration was measured in a holehoard and N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT, 4 mg/kg) profoundly reduced the level of exploration, precluding any conclusions about the rate of habituation with this dose. However, both 2 and 4 mg/kg doses prevented the 24-hr retention of habituation of exploration. DMT (2 and 4 mg/kg) did not reduce the initial distraction to a tone stimulus, but the rate of habituation and its 24-hr retention was impaired.