EFFECT OF INOSITOL TREATMENT ON THE BEHAVIOR OF RHESUS-MONKEYS - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS

1. The effects of inositol (20 g/day, oral) on spatial learning and sp ontaneous home-cage behavior of four Rhesus monkeys, were studied in a crossover design. 2. Results indicate no marked inositol effect on le arning, memory, or behavior. There was a suggestion of an effect of ch ronic inositol in reducing cage-induced repetitive behavior as indicat ed by increased switching between modes of behavior, and reduction in length of longest behavioral bout. Furthermore inositol may increase t ime spent in environmentally- rather than self-oriented behavior. 3. P revious behavioral studies of inositol were performed in rats, which m aintain low brain inositol levels compared to primates, including huma ns. The present study demonstrates the feasibility of primate behavior al studies with inositol, and shows the need far longer time experimen ts and increased variety of behavioral tests.