title: An ACTH4-9 analog enhances social attention in aging rats: a longitudinal study.
abstract: Effect of chronic treatment of the ACTH4-9 analog, Org2766, on social attention was studied longitudinally in aging rats. A 6-week treatment temporarily enhanced specific combinations of behaviors of two interacting animals. During a 6-month treatment social attention of treated animals remained at the same level, whereas control animals showed a gradual decrease. Two months after the treatment was ceased this effect on social attention was still present; moreover, the peptide-treated animals performed better in a spatial water maze task three months after the last injection. In addition, the nerve conduction velocity of the major caudal nerves and the sciatic nerve were measured; aged, peptide-treated animals preserved their conduction velocity. The present study shows beneficial long-lasting effects of the ACTH4-9 analog in aging rats on complex behavioral indices and on a physiological measure.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Neurobiology, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Spruijt
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000187:drug effects; D009949:Orientation / Q000187:drug effects; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects; D012919:Social Behavior; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; C013765:Org 2766; C028024:ACTH (4-9); D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone