Time of supplemental feeding alters the effects of cocaine on lever pressing of rats.

Ross et al. (2002) worked with rats pressing a lever for food on a fixed-interval schedule. After each session, half the rats got extra chow right away. The other half waited two hours.

The team then gave all rats cocaine before sessions. They watched how the drug changed lever pressing.

Rats that waited for their extra food kept pressing at high, steady rates even after cocaine. Rats that ate right after sessions slowed down.

Delaying the bonus meal made the behavior tougher. It resisted cocaine’s usual hit.

Cullinan et al. (2001) also gave extra food, but during the session instead of after. Both studies show that any extra food, timed differently, can harden behavior against disruption.

Fisher et al. (2004) tested the same cocaine-FI setup. They found no change in tolerance across schedule parts. Linda’s team shows feeding timing can matter more than schedule tweaks.

Harris et al. (1978) proved that baseline rate decides whether amphetamine speeds or slows responding. Linda’s delayed feeding is another way to set that baseline high before drugs enter.

You can’t give cocaine to clients, but you can control when extra reinforcement arrives. If you save bonus items or praise for a short delay after work, the behavior may survive future setbacks like medication side effects or extinction probes. Try holding the preferred snack for ten minutes after the last trial and track if responding stays steady when distractions appear.