title: Effects of piracetam on indices of cognitive function in a delayed alternation task in young and aged rats.
abstract: The effects of piracetam (64, 128, and 256 mg/kg PO) on the performance of a delayed alternation in a Skinner Box were investigated. Test sessions consisted of 36 trials during which animals were first presented with a single lever (left or right) followed 5, 10, or 20 s later by two levers. A press on the lever opposite to that presented previously (nonmatching to sample) was rewarded. The number of correct responses and the reaction times to the one- and two-lever presentations were recorded. All animals received all treatments in a balanced order. Aged animals showed clear deficits on all three parameters. Piracetam was without effect on the performance of young animals but dose-dependently decreased the choice reaction times (two levers) in aged animals without affecting the other two parameters. These results suggest that piracetam does not affect short-term memory but may facilitate choice behavior in aged animals.
authors.affiliation: I.T.E.M.-LABO, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roux
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Hubert
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lenègre
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Milinkevitch
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Porsolt
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D010889:Piracetam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D010889:Piracetam