The effects of chlorpromazine on GSR conditioning.

Research had suggested that chlorpromazine reduces anxiety and, from another line of research, that there is a positive relationship between degree of anxiety and ease of conditioning. The present research aimed at an assessment of the combination of these findings, viz., if chlorpromazine reduces anxiety, and lowered anxiety (reduced drive) decreases the ease of obtaining a conditioned response, then GSR conditioning should decrease with patients taking chlorpromazine. The results were in the hypothesized direction. Dosage of chlorpromazine was related to decrease in conditioning ability, with a moderate dosage (275-410 mg. per day) most effective in making conditioning difficult. 15 refs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)