Low doses of atropine sulfate impair retention of a well-learned spatial task.
Retention of a well-learned spatial task was assessed in rats 10 minutes prior to, and 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 minutes after treatment with 3, 10 or 30 mg/kg, iv, atropine sulfate or the equivalent volume of saline, iv. There was a variable dose effect for escape latency and choice accuracy measures of spatial retention. A relatively large dose of atropine sulfate (30 mg/kg, iv) significantly impaired choice accuracy and escape latency compared with the control group. Moreover, impairment in choice accuracy was observed with smaller doses of atropine sulfate (3, 10 mg/kg, iv) than have previously been shown to disrupt spatial retention.
U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, Massachusetts.
T M
TM
Rauch
D I
DI
Welch
L
L
Gallego
D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects*; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*
D001285:Atropine