An anxiogenic benzodiazepine receptor ligand induces learned helplessness.
Rats treated with the anxiogenic beta-carboline, N-methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxamide (FG-7142), failed to acquire an escape response 24 h after treatment. Administration of FG-7142 resulted in a behavioral effect equivalent to a session of inescapable tailshock in this paradigm of learned helplessness. Pretreatment of rats with the selective benzodiazepine receptor antagonist Ro15-1788 blocked the development of learned helplessness elicited by FG-7142. These findings suggest that 'anxiety' may be a major factor in the development of learned helplessness.
D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000139:chemically induced*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D002243:Carbolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004597:Electroshock; D006380:Helplessness, Learned; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects*
D002243:Carbolines; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; C035874:FG 7142