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Vasopressin and cognition: An analysis and perspective
Author(s) -
Strupp Barbara J.,
Weingartner Herbert
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
drug development research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.582
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1098-2299
pISSN - 0272-4391
DOI - 10.1002/ddr.430040506
Subject(s) - cognition , perspective (graphical) , context (archaeology) , psychology , cognitive science , cognitive psychology , vasopressin , mechanism (biology) , neuroscience , epistemology , biology , computer science , artificial intelligence , paleontology , philosophy , genetics
Animal research concerning vasopressin's putative role in cognitive processes has been in progress for nearly two decades, yet the extent and nature of this role remain poorly understood. Methodologically, the reliance on extinction rate as an index of memory and the virtually exclusive use of avoidance tasks have limited the conclusions that can be drawn. In addition, from a theoretical perspective, the view of learning and memory as unitary phenomena may have contributed to an incomplete analysis of vasopressin's cognitive effects. The conclusions that may be drawn from the existing animal data are discussed in the context of the problems that arise in determining if any endogenous substance plays a role in cognitive processes. Recent research in both humans and experimental animals has demonstrated the importance of taking a differentiated approach to the study of cognition and has suggested that distinct cognitive processes may be driven by different biological mechanisms. This research approach has underscored the validity and fruitfulness of using animal models in this area and holds promise for unraveling the biological mechanisms involved in human cognitive processes in general and the role of vasopressin in particular.