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Effect of Vitamin B12 on Neuronal RNA and on Instrumental Conditioning in the Rat

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Recent Advances in Biological Psychiatry

Abstract

Much attention has been focused in recent years on the possibility that ribonucleic acid (RNA) may be the substrate or code of memory functions in the brain. Experimental attempts have been made on both humans and animals for ways to increase learning and memory by increasing the concentration, synthesis, or activity of RNA in the brain. Exogenous yeast RNA has been administered orally, intravenously, and intraperitoneally as a drug for this purpose [1–4]. Various other drugs have been used in efforts to stimulate RNA synthesis. These include malononitrile, which is reported to increase the amount of RNA in nervous tissue [5], and magnesium pemoline, which has been reported to increase the activity of the enzyme RNA polymerase in the brain [6].

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Enesco, H.E. (1968). Effect of Vitamin B12 on Neuronal RNA and on Instrumental Conditioning in the Rat. In: Wortis, J. (eds) Recent Advances in Biological Psychiatry. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-9072-5_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4684-9072-5_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4684-9074-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4684-9072-5

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