Effect of nicotine on the swimming endurance of rats

Effects of dietary alpha-linolenic acid deficiency on neuromuscular and cognitive functions in mice

Mice were fed a diet deficient in alpha-linolenic acid [18:3 (n-3)] or a control diet and the effect of this deficiency was assessed by behavioral and pharmacological measurements. Three weeks before mating female mice were fed a diet containing either peanut oil poor in alpha-linolenic acid (n-3)- or peanut+rapeseed oil rich in alpha-linolenic acid (n-3)+ = controls. Pups, aged 47 to 61 days, fed the same diet as their dams, were used for behavioral experiments. Muscular function and neuromuscular coordination assessed by the traction test, the elevated rotarod test and swimming endurance were unchanged by the (n-3)- deficiency. The level of anxiety assessed by the elevated plus-maze (anxiety protocol), the light-dark transition and the neophobia tests did not differ between (n-3)- and control (n-3)+ mice. Defensive behavior was not changed by the diet. The pentobarbital-induced loss of the righting reflex had the same duration in males, females, and controls as in (n-3) deficient mice; the latency to pentobarbital-induced loss of the righting reflex was significantly shorter in females than in males but did not differ according to the diet. Mice fed the (n-3)- deficient diet showed less efficient learning in the elevated plus-maze (learning protocol) and poorer understanding of the situation (or less motivation to escape) in the low rotarod test than mice fed the control (n-3)+ diet.

Neurobehavioral methods used in neurotoxicological research

Exposure to chemicals in the environment and workplace can have adverse effects on the nervous system. Behavioral endpoints are being used with greater frequency in the hazard identification phase of neurotoxicology risk assessment. One reason behavioral procedures are used in animal neurotoxicology studies is that they evaluate neurobiological functions known to be affected in humans exposed to neurotoxic agents, including alterations in sensory, motor, autonomic, and cognitive function. In hazard identification, behavioral tests are used in a tiered-testing context. Tests in the first tier are designed to determine the presence of neurotoxicity. Examples of first-tier behavioral tests include functional observational batteries and motor activity. Second-tier tests are used to characterize neurotoxicant-induced effects on sensory, motor, and cognitive function. Second-tier tests are usually more complex and costly to perform. Reliance on behavioral endpoints in neurotoxicology risk assessment will likely increase in the future.

Behavioral modifications in relation to hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism in adult rats

1. Behavioural experiments were carried out on adult rats made hypothyroid and hyperthyroid. The hypothyroid rats in an "open field" situation reduced the number of squares crossed and boluses defecated, the hyperthyroid rats reduced the number of squares crossed. A swimming endurance was conducted to evaluate the physical resistance of the rats: only hypothyroidism affected the performance. 2. Two operant tests were studied: a) an "extinction" trial (60 min), in which the rats trained in a fixed ratio schedule (FR 1:10), were no longer rewarded with pellets of food and b) the "reversal" test in which the contingency for food delivery was switched four times from one lever, where responses were previously reinforced, to the other lever where responses had no programmed consequences. 3. Both hypo and hyperthyroid conditions caused a lower rate of responses during the "extinction" trial, while in the "reversal" test only hyperthyroid rats showed improved performances. 4. Our data clearly demonstrate behavioural changes in adult hypothyroid and hyperthyroid rats.

Swimming capacity of mice after prolonged treatment with psychostimulants. II. Effect of methamphetamine on swimming performance and availability of metabolic substrates

Swimming endurance and availability of metabolic substrates (blood glucose and nonesterified fatty acids [NEFA], liver and muscle glycogen, body fat) were studied in mice treated with 10 microgram/g methamphetamine/day for 6 weeks. At the end of the 6-week treatment, motor coordination of the methamphetamine-treated animals was much better than that of controls, and swimming capacity tended to increase. While swimming, mice treated with methamphetamine mobilized more glycogen from the hepatic stores and utilized glucose more effectively. Their NEFA levels in blood were higher than those of controls. There was no difference in the muscular glycogen content.

The effects of nicotine on two-way avoidance conditioning in bi-directionally selected strains of rats

Rats of both sexes from the genetically selected Roman High Avoidance (RHA), the Roman Low Avoidance (RLA) and the Roman Control (RCA) strains were given one 30-min session of two-way escape-avoidance conditioning (30 trials) in a shuttle box with a buzzer as the conditioned stimulus and shock as the unconditioned stimulus in a factorial design involving three time intervals (0, 15 and 30 min) following one subcutaneous injection of saline or of nicotine in five doses (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, or 0.8 mg/kg of body weight). Six measures relating to performance were analysed in whole or part. While the number of avoidance responses showed the expected strain differences, no effect of dose or delay interval could be detected. Avoidance and escape latencies and intertrial activity showed some effects of these variables, especially in interaction with sex and strain. Dose determined pre-sessional activity, but its effect was strain dependent. The failure to confirm previous findings is discussed in the context of other instances in the literature, and the results of an operant experiment confirming the continuing sensitivity of the Roman strains to the effects of nicotine are reported.