The Effect of Vasopressin and Aldosterone on the Distribution of Water, Sodium, and Potassium and on Work Performance in Old Rats

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Abstract
The inability of old rats to perform work effectively is associated with a distortion in the transcellular distribution of sodium, potassium, and water in skeletal muscle. Basically, this is characterized by a marked gain in total sodium, a corresponding loss of potassium and a shift of water from cells to environment, all combining to reduce the transmembrane concentration gradients of both major cations. The administration of a modest amount of pitressin tannate in oil to old male rats during a four week period, especially when accompanied by a trace of aldosterone, improved work performance significantly. This improvement was associated with a partial reversal of the distorted pattern of ionic distribution in the old animals.

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