THE OPEN-FIELD BEHAVIOR OF A TROPICAL COC KROACH NAUPHOETA-CINEREA AND ITS MODIFICATIONS UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF PIRACETAM

For 30 min the behaviour of 164 male cockroaches was studied in an ''o pen field'' analog. At the 31st min the electrical light was switched on and the examination was continued for 10 min. It was found out that the insects placed in the ''open field'' and subjected to a sudden il lumination behaved in a similar way. After the initial freezing a shar p increase in the motor activity was observed with subsequent habituat ion. Pel os administration of 200-400 mg/kg of piracetam (a solution o f 5 mg of the drug and 500 mg of honey in 5 ml of water) did not chang e the freezing period but accelerated habituation and decreased the lo comotion augmentation caused by the light. The obtained data suggest t hat piracetam improves memory and nonassociative learning and exerts a stress-protective effect on cockroaches.