deamino-arginine-vasopressin and Learning-Disabilities

Alcohol administration in drinking water to mother rats during gestation resulted in a permanent learning deficit of the offspring when behavioural reactions were tested in active avoidance conditioned reflex situation in adult age. A similar deficit of learning capacity was observed in adult rats following alcohol administration for two weeks; the acquisition of active avoidance response was tested later. Administration of arginine-vasopressin and ACTH 4-10 during behavioural test led to a significant improvement of learning ability of the animals pretreated with alcohol. The observations indicate that the ethanol-induced deficit of learning capacity involves peptidergic mechanisms and the behavioural manifestations following chronic alcohol treatment are not irreversible processes.

Topics: Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; Alcoholism; Animals; Avoidance Learning; Deamino Arginine Vasopressin; Female; Learning Disabilities; Male; Maternal-Fetal Exchange; Peptide Fragments; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Rats

Topics: Adolescent; Arginine Vasopressin; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Child; Deamino Arginine Vasopressin; Female; Humans; Learning Disabilities; Male; Mental Recall; Paired-Associate Learning; Serial Learning; Verbal Learning