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Related Experiment Videos

Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists decrease distractibility in aged monkeys performing the delayed response task.

A F Arnsten1, T A Contant

  • 1Section of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510-8001.

Psychopharmacology
|January 1, 1992
PubMed
Summary
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Alpha-2 agonists like clonidine and guanfacine protect aged monkeys from memory impairment caused by distracting stimuli. These drugs enhance spatial working memory by shielding it from irrelevant information, suggesting potential therapeutic uses.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmacology
  • Cognitive Psychology

Background:

  • Aging impairs spatial working memory and increases susceptibility to interference in monkeys.
  • Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists (clonidine, guanfacine) improve performance on delayed response tasks in aged monkeys under standard conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if alpha-2 agonists protect delayed response performance in aged monkeys when irrelevant stimuli are present during memory delays.
  • To determine the efficacy of clonidine and guanfacine in mitigating distraction-induced memory deficits.

Main Methods:

  • Aged monkeys performed a variable delayed response task with and without interference during delay intervals.
  • Interference sessions included distractor stimuli on a subset of trials.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Monkeys were pretreated with saline, clonidine, or guanfacine before testing.

    • Main Results:

    • Saline-treated aged monkeys showed significant performance disruption due to irrelevant stimuli.
    • Clonidine and guanfacine pretreatment prevented performance impairment during interference sessions.
    • The protective effect of alpha-2 agonists was most evident on non-distractor trials, and guanfacine showed no sedative side effects.

    Conclusions:

    • Alpha-2 agonists protect spatial working memory in aged monkeys by shielding it from irrelevant stimulation.
    • Clonidine and guanfacine demonstrate potential as therapeutic agents for attention and memory disorders, such as Attention Deficit Disorder.