Abstract
The unconditioned stimulus properties of subcutaneously administered arginine vasopressin (AVP) were examined using place and taste conditioning paradigms. Evidence for an aversive effect of the peptide was found, in general agreement with a previous report, although a high dose of AVP (10 μg) was required. Also investigated was the possible role of the dorsal noradrenergic bundle (DNAB) in conditioned taste aversion established by AVP. Although the DNAB has been proposed as one of the central pathways through which AVP exerts a facilitatory effect on conditioned behaviour, destruction of this pontine-forebrain projection with 6-hydroxydopamine did not appear to alter the aversiveness of the drug in the present study. These results replicate the finding that AVP can serve as an aversive stimulus but also indicate that the aversive properties of the peptide may prove to be dissociable from its ability to enhance the retention of learned behaviour.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 133-137 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | Brain research |
Volume | 337 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 24 1985 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- arginine vasopressin
- arousal
- dorsal noradrenergic bundle
- memory
- peptide
- place conditioning
- rat
- taste aversion
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Clinical Neurology
- Developmental Biology