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Hypoxia-induced amnesia in one-trial learning and pharmacological protection by piracetam

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Abstract

Rats were given Piracetam or saline 30 min orally before one trial passive avoidance training; after training they were submitted to nitrogen induced hypoxia (“Sudden” and “Progressive” procedure) or were confined to the hypoxia cage with a normal atmosphere.

Results showed that

  1. 1.

    hypoxia prevented the avoidance response on day 2 for the saline injected animals and

  2. 2.

    Piracetam protected the animals from this hypoxia induced amnesia. The results are discussed in terms of electrophysiological and biochemical modifications which have been found to be associated with both hypoxia and Piracetam.

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The authors would like to acknowledge the fundamental contribution of Dr. C. Giurgea who supervised the realisation of this work.

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Sara, S.J., Lefevre, D. Hypoxia-induced amnesia in one-trial learning and pharmacological protection by piracetam. Psychopharmacologia 25, 32–40 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422614

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