Interaction of raclopride and preparatory interval effects on simple reaction time performance

In a series of three experiments, simple reaction time (RT) was characterized with respect to a variable preparatory interval (PI) in order to investigate the relationship between interval timing and RT. In Experiment 1, it was shown that RT decreases as a function of PI and that this effect varies with amount of training. In Experiment 2, RT was shown to increase during probe trials that used a novel 6.25 s PI, suggesting that the specific durations of the PIs encoded during initial training contribute to the PI effect on RT. In Experiment 3, 100 μg/kg i.p. of raclopride proportionally slowed RT as a function of the PI. These results are discussed within the context of neuropsychological models of interval timing and support an underlying role for cortico-striatal dopaminergic function in temporal processing and simple RT measurements.