title: Des-Gly-vasopressin improves acquisition and slows extinction of autoshaped behavior.
abstract: The effects of a vasopressin analog (DGAVP) with minimal endocrinological activity, were assayed on acquisition and extinction of a discrete trial, food reinforced, autoshaped lever touch response. Magazine-trained rats, maintained at 80-85% of free-feeding body weights, were injected s.c. with saline, 5 or 10 micrograms/kg of DGAVP 1 h before each of two sessions in which they learned to touch a retractable lever, presented on a 45 s random interval (RI 45) schedule. Retracted lever contacts (nose-pokes) and unconditioned rearing activity were simultaneously monitored. After acquisition of the extended lever touch response, rats were reassigned to treatment groups, and again injected with saline, 5 or 10 micrograms/kg of DGAVP 1 h before each of two extinction sessions. DGAVP facilitated acquisition (5 micrograms/kg) and slowed extinction (5 and 10 micrograms/kg) of conditioned behavior, while having no effects on the other behaviors, thus demonstrating the specificity of the effect of a vasopressin-like compound on both tasks (enhanced acquisition and retarded extinction) used to study learning.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; C015119:argipressin, des-GlyNH2(9)-