Phencyclidine affects memory in a nitric oxide-dependent manner: working and reference memory

• Phencyclidine (PCP), a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, was used to model schizophrenia-like cognitive dysfunctions of learning and memory in rats using the Morris water maze model for spatial memory. A protocol introduced by Baldi and co-workers was used to distinguish working memory from reference memory. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered PCP (2.0 mg/kg) before the first swimming trial on each of five spatial memory acquisition days, either alone or after pre-treatment with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, L-NAME (10 mg/kg). Probe tests for memory were conducted before and after each acquisition session. The results showed that PCP disrupted the acquisition of both working and reference memory. Pre-treatment with L-NAME reversed both these effects of PCP. L-NAME treatment by itself did not significantly alter either acquisition or retention of spatial memory.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Medicinska och farmaceutiska grundvetenskaper -- Fysiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Basic Medicine -- Physiology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Analysis of Variance

Animals

Behavior

Animal/drug effects

Drug Interactions

Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology

Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists/*pharmacology

Male

Maze Learning/drug effects

Memory/*drug effects

NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester/pharmacology

Nitric Oxide/*physiology

Phencyclidine/*pharmacology

Rats

Rats

Sprague-Dawley

Reaction Time/drug effects

Spatial Behavior/drug effects

Swimming

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)