NMDA-receptor-dependent, muscimol-sensitive role of the entorhinal cortex in post-training memory processing

The bilateral infusion into the entorhinal cortex of the NMDA receptor antagonist, AP5 (5.0µg) or of the GABA(A) agonist, muscimol (0.03µg) 90min after training but not 30min before training, 0min after training or 10min before testing, hindered retention test performance 24h after inhibitory avoidance in rats. Glutamate (5.0µg) or picrotoxin (0.08µg) infused 90min after training had no effect. In animals trained with a low level footshock a second training session, 120min after the first, was needed in order to obtain a good retention test performance. This was taken to reflect summation of the consecutive memory traces left by the two training sessions. In these animals, the infusion of AP5 or muscimol into the entorhinal cortex between the two training sessions impeded their summation. The present results suggest that the entorhinal cortex plays a late role in memory processing, that this role does not need a hyperactivation of the entorhinal cortex, and that it is important for the interaction between consecutive memory traces.