Effects of trimethyltin chloride on differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate responding.

The effects of a range of doses of trimethyltin chloride (1.8-7.0 mg/kg, TMT) on responding maintained under a differential-reinforcement-of-low-rate 15-sec schedule of water presentation were examined in rats. TMT produced a large decrease in the percent of reinforced responses and consequently a decrease in the rate of reinforcement. These effects were due primarily to prolonged bursts of nonreinforced responses. In contrast to the gradual dose-related decrease in body weight produced by TMT, responding was disrupted only at the highest dose tested, i.e., 7.0 mg/kg. The results were discussed in terms of the neurotoxic effects of TMT on the limbic system.