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Decreased reactivity to the anticonflict effect of diazepam in perinatally undernourished rats
J D Brioni1, N Cordoba, O A Orsingher
1Departamento de Farmacologia, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Argentina.
Abstract:
Offspring of rats were submitted to a protein deprivation dietary treatment from the third week of gestation until 50 days of age, and later nutritionally rehabilitated for at least 90 days. In the punished lever-pressing conflict test, undernourished animals exhibited a decreased reactivity to the anticonflict effect of a 3 mg/kg dose of diazepam as compared to control animals. This decreased reactivity to diazepam in a shock-induced conflict test indicates that functional alterations in the GABAergic transmission might contribute to the state of hypersensitivity to stressful or aversive situations present in undernourished animals.

