The proposed research will explore the neuropharmacology of flurazepam as it relates to drug abuse and physical dependence. The unique central excitation seen after high doses may have significant implications for acute overdose, chronic abuse, and interactions of flurazepam and other types of drugs dependencies. The initial phase of the work will describe quantitatively the complete acute dose-response relationship for flurazepam. Chronic flurazepam administration will be used to explore the degree to which severe physical dependence on this drug can develop. Drug interactions will be studied by examining the effects of flurazepam in animals during barbiturate withdrawal. This will test the hypothesis that these animals will be cross-tolerant to flurazepam's depressant properties, but supersensitive to its excitant actions. The last phase of the proposed project will examine the actions of flurazepam in the spinal cord. The drug will be tested in several well known reflex pathways. Results will allow comparison with known effects of other benzodiazepines. This experiment should also help determine the basic nature of flurazepam's excitatory actions.