title: Infantile stimulation and the role of the benzodiazepine receptor system in adult acquisition of two-way avoidance behavior.
abstract: The present study shows that postnatal "consistent" handling (CH) of rats had long-lasting improving effects on coping with an stressful task (i.e. two-way active avoidance), and that such effects were partially prevented by acute Ro 15-1788 (antagonist of benzodiazepine receptor-BZR; 5 mg/kg) administration. Long-lasting detrimental effects in the same task were also observed in rats which received postnatal "inconsistent" handling (INCH), effects that were slightly increased by acute Ro 15-1788 treatment. Finally, Ro 15-1788 tended to increase avoidance acquisition in non-handled (NH) animals. The observed effects of Ro 15-1788 could be partially attributed to a differential modulation of the process of avoidance acquisition depending on postnatal treatments producing different levels of emotionality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Escorihuela
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fernández-Teruel
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Núñez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zapata
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tobeña
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000523:psychology; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000494:pharmacology; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005442:Flumazenil