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Drug res -<a people v By Carol Stiver Qamscock St?ff Writ?r Experiments with the effects of LSD on laboratory animals are important because the research could ultimately help us understand how drugs work, James Appel, Department of Psychology professor, said. Appel, who conducts research in the Behavioral Pharmacology Laboratory of the Psychology Department, said this research will help to develop better drugs for disorders and may eventually benefit people with drug problems. "We need a greater understanding of how drugs affect in the living body. Until we have that understanding, these techniques may enable us to predict whether a new synthesized compound will have similar pharmacological effects as an existing one," Appel said. "THE RESEARCH MIGHT help develop agents that block particular drugs' effects," he said. For examDle. drues exist which block the effect of LSD so it does not activate in the brain. Appel, who has done research at the University of Chicago and at Yale University Department of Psychiatry, began conducting experiments in behavioral neuropharmacology at USC when he came here five years ago. "This lab has been primarily interested in behavioral effects in animals of ncunVinontitm rlrntrto I rlmirfc j^AJJ VIIVMVH C VAX U^O \vu ugo uia V alter mood and/or consciousness) in general," Appei said. "We're interested in describing what these hallucinogens do to relatively simple animal behavior and perception." Appel is concerned with the mechanism in the brain that controls these drug effects. He studies the relation of what the t T?T i ne j?ti at 9:0( Substit Btrict 3 may vol District may vo S nui.u. I/I91IIUI in B.A. Distrioi Physic District Off-Cai search ma vith druff t CD JL ' drugs do in the brain and behavioi of the animal. One technique Appel said h< used most successfully in recen years involves training rats an< pigeons to discriminate druj states. A pigeon, for example, cai be trained to peck the left lever t< get food after LSD is administere< and the right lever after saline oi salt is given. Animals can lean these discriminations with a higl level of accuracy, about 90 percen within 30 to 40 days of training according to Annel 0 n?? AFTER THE ANIMALS an trained to discriminate their druj state, researchers vary theii dosages to see how much of tin drug it takes before the animal: nwp? Don't Forget... i Registration Oct. 8 Russell House 2nd f jdent Government Fall a m ?PrJIc rlnco a+ ^ VIM I la V V/IIU VIU^V/ Wi|. utionsi. The Followin ? South Building/Tower ?Vot te for this seat. District 4?The Tow thflCP coatc : 6 ?Bates House/West & Roos te for this seat. 4 A I I : uisuiui iv* ? nuniani Off-Campus students I 11 ?Business Administration may vote here. uistrict iz ? taucatio Off-Campus students I 13 ?Science and Math ?vote al Science, Computer Science, ^ District 14?Engineer Engineering may vote t 15?Journalism/General Studii mm id ctnHontc artrnllod in oithor "f"-'" "IIUU .11 District 17 ?Health S Only Off-Campus stu y benefit problems r indicate an I.SD statp or thp threshold level of the drug. The animals are then given the e blocking agents which counter the t effect of LSD, so they behave as if i they haven't had LSD. The 3 behavioral effect of LSD can be i attained by other agents, and the a animal will act as if that dirug were i LSD, Appel said. r An animal undergoes one or two i tests a week with the drugs. The i other davs are training davs for t the animals. , Appel has begun experiments with PCP, commonly known as angel dust, using the same basic a procedures. He does not research I with human subjects. "Human r experiments," he said, "need to be * done in a medical setting" and s require a special license. :loor Lobby^S^ Election to fill vacant Ser 6:00 p.m. ?USC I.D. Mi ig Areas Are Affected By" s in South Tower Lobby. Seat 3 is o ers ?vote in Towers Main Lounge. t?vote in Bates West Lobby. Seal ties, Social Sciences, Librarianship > enrolled in these areas may vote fc -vote in B.A. Lobby. Seats 1 and 5 n and 4-Year Criminal Justine ? vnt enrolled in either of these schools r in Leconte Lobby. Seats 1 and 3 an ^lath may vote here. ing?vote in tngineering ouiiaing i here. 9S ?vote in Coliseum Lobby (Blossc Journalism or General Studies may Sciences, Nursing, Pharmacy, Phys dents enrolled in either of these are amammmmmmmmmmmmmmmtUmmmmmmmmmmmmmm ?1 |X?ll t?M?t?J ree vmve Late 1. Auto Mechanics: Towers "I" building. Ir 2. CPR: Nov. 5, 19, Red Cross Building, Columbia; $6 fee due i 3. Advanced Bellydan< House room 303. Ini Hough. 4. Bartending: Sunda r* . . ~ county restaurant; m; $15 fee due at registr Instructor: Dan Rodrig late seats is Today, jst be presented tc fhis Election: pen. Only residents of Sout Seats 3 and 4 are open. C 3 is open. Only residents , Social Work ?vote in Gar >r this seat. are open. Unly utt-uampus e in Wardlaw Lobby. Seats nay vote here. } open. Only Off-Campus st .obby. Seat 2 is open. Onh r?. r* . o j >m Dt. siaej. seats j, i, anc vote here. ical Education, Public HeaH as may vote here. **? *?%? %? ? 4 % J , ? - - > rsity! Additions Tuesdav 7-8 n.m. r - ? I ** ' istructor: Tom Warta. and 26,6:30-10:30, 1100 Shirley St., n registration. ;ing: 7-8 p.m., Russell itructor: Mary Louise IV, 4-6 p.m., P"P^ * > ? I ax. 15 people, ] .2 ation. | ? - f j | L . L l.a russell house b 1 -??? Polls open ? vote?No h Building/Tower >nly Towers residents may vote for of these 3 dorms nbrell Lobby. Seat 2 is open. Only | t students enrolled 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are open. Only udents enrolled in y Off-Campus students enrolled in i 5 are open. Only > > a i! i r>-1 i o ;n^ivieai^ vv