Investigation of behavioral performance during urine reinfusion in the male primate

¹ Department of Surgical Physiology, Division of Basic Surgical Research and Department of Experimental Psychology, Division of Neuropsychiatry, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D. C.

A method employing continuous urine infusion is presented for an experimental study of uremia in primates conditioned to a behavioral schedule requiring modes of performance analogous to those which appear to be deficient in uremic man. The preparation is completely reversible on cessation of infusion, permitting repeated studies in individual animals. Behavioral performance deficits correlated with elevated plasma-urea nitrogen concentrations at or above 95 mg/100 ml, but not with plasma potassium concentrations between 2.0 and 8.5 mEq/liter, sodium concentrations between 135 and 170 mEq/liter, nor with the mechanics of infusion itself.

Note:
With the Technical Assistance of J. A. Gagnon, and N. L. Lawson

Key Words: uremia • plasma urea nitrogen, plasma electrolytes and behavioral disorganization

Submitted on July 24, 1963