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Modulation of cycloheximide-resistant memory by sympathomimetic agents.
Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior
|June 1, 1976
Summary
Amphetamine and norepinephrine enhance short-term memory in chickens by counteracting amnesia caused by cycloheximide (CXM). These drugs may work by stimulating the sodium pump, crucial for memory formation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Animal Behavior
Background:
- Cycloheximide (CXM) induces short-term memory impairment in young chickens.
- This labile memory trace is sensitive to amnesic agents but persists for a limited time.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the memory-enhancing effects of amphetamine in CXM-treated chickens.
- To explore the role of norepinephrine and adrenergic receptor stimulation in memory consolidation.
Main Methods:
- Passive avoidance learning task in day-old chickens.
- Administration of amphetamine, norepinephrine, and adrenergic agonists/antagonists.
- Biochemical assays measuring sodium pump (Na+/K+ ATPase) activity.
Main Results:
- Amphetamine administration shortly after learning reversed CXM-induced amnesia.
- Norepinephrine, methoxamine, and isoprenaline mimicked amphetamine's memory-enhancing effect.
- Amphetamine's effect was blocked by alpha and beta adrenergic antagonists.
- Norepinephrine stimulated Na+/K+ ATPase activity in chicken forebrain homogenates.
Conclusions:
- Amphetamine enhances memory consolidation in chickens, likely through norepinephrine release.
- Adrenergic signaling, potentially via the sodium pump, plays a role in modulating labile memory traces.