Diazepam impairs place learning in the Morris water maze.
The effect of diazepam (0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/kg) on the acquisition and retention of place learning was evaluated. The analysis of escape latencies indicates that 1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg diazepam significantly impaired the retention of spatial information. When a free swim trial was carried out only control animals showed spatial bias to the target quadrant. The absence of spatial bias in the group that received 0.3 mg/kg suggests that the amnesic effect of diazepam can be seen at doses similar to or even lower than the anxiolytic ones, and that the GABA/benzodiazepine receptor complex is highly sensitive to the cognitive impairment induced by diazepam in spatial tasks.
Arolfo
M P
MP
Departamento de Farmacologia, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Argentina.
Brioni
J D
JD
D000818:Animals; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects; D009949:Orientation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects*
D003975:Diazepam