[Opposite Semax influence on conditioning and functional disturbances of avoidance responses in rats].

Zhurnal vysshei nervnoi deiatelnosti imeni I P Pavlova2013PMID: 25464761

Animal StudySemax

Plain Language Summary

Semax was shown to enhance learning in a task where rats needed to jump to safety to avoid shock, while in a shuttle-box task it raised the threshold for movement — delaying learning in that context. However, in animals whose performance had been disrupted by changes to the test environment, Semax helped restore normal avoidance behavior. The results confirm Semax's nootropic properties and suggest its cognitive effects are context-dependent.

Abstract

Semax effects on formation of active avoidance reaction in rats in different experimental models have been studied. It was shown that intraperitoneal Semax administration at a dose of 0.05 mg/kg accelerated acquisition of one-way active avoidance response when rats were trained to avoid electric foot-shock by jumping on the shelf. When rats were trained in shuttle-box the peptide increased the electroshock threshold value required to provocation of rat moving in experimental box and delayed acquisition of two-way active avoidance response. At the same time Semax stimulated avoidance response restoration in shuttle-box after functional disturbances induced by acute modification of cause-effect and spatial relationships in experimental environment. Data obtained support nootropic properties of Semax.

Authors

Inozemtsev, A N; Agapitova, A E; Bokieva, S B; Glazova, N Iu; Levitskaia, N G; Kamenskiĭ, A A; Miasoedov, N F