Decreased reactivity to the anticonflict effect of diazepam in perinatally undernourished rats.

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.