Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7655-8188

Semester

Spring

Date of Graduation

2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

MS

College

Eberly College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Karen Anderson

Committee Member

Michael Perone

Committee Member

Christina Duncan

Abstract

Pharmaceuticals are helpful tools in aiding individuals with psychiatric diagnoses. Sometimes, the drug’s side effects can be more severe than the initial problem. Maladaptive behaviors, like pathological gambling, overeating, and substance abuse, are important to consider during the prescription of different pharmaceuticals, particularly those used to treat Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Individuals with these diagnoses are often prescribed: stimulants, like d-amphetamine (d-AMP; for symptoms associated with ADHD), and antipsychotics, like aripiprazole (ARI; for symptoms associated with ASD). These drugs in combination could influence maladaptive behavior, including risky choice (probability discounting). The present study used eight, male Sprague-Dawley rats to examine effects of ARI, alone and in combination with d-AMP, on risky choice. Results demonstrate an interaction between the two drugs, indicated by an increase in risky choice over and above what either drug does alone. Drug combinations in behavioral research are understudied, hence it is imperative that we develop a better understanding of how drug combinations influence choice.

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