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Assessment of Cocaine-induced Behavioral Sensitization and Conditioned Place Preference in Mice
Published on: February 18, 2016
Post-training cocaine exposure facilitates spatial memory consolidation in C57BL/6 mice
Sergio D Iñiguez1, Sergios Charntikov, Shelley A Baella
1Department of Psychology, California State University, San Bernardino, California 92407, USA.
Hippocampus
|May 5, 2011
Summary
A low dose of cocaine (2.5 mg/kg) given within 2 hours after training significantly improved spatial memory in mice. This effect is linked to hippocampal protein kinase A (PKA) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathways.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Spatial memory consolidation is crucial for learning and navigation.
- Cocaine is known to affect cognitive functions, but its precise role in memory consolidation requires further investigation.
- Hippocampal signaling pathways, including protein kinase A (PKA) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), are implicated in memory processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of post-training cocaine administration on spatial memory performance in the Morris water maze (MWM).
- To explore the involvement of hippocampal PKA and ERK signaling in cocaine-mediated spatial memory consolidation.
- To determine the optimal timing and dosage of cocaine for facilitating spatial memory.
Main Methods:
- Male and female C57BL/6 mice were trained in the MWM and subsequently injected with varying doses of cocaine (0-20 mg/kg).
- Spatial memory was assessed 24 hours after training by measuring latency to locate the platform.
- Hippocampal PKA levels and ERK phosphorylation were analyzed following cocaine administration at different time points post-training.
Main Results:
- A dose of 2.5 mg/kg cocaine significantly reduced latency to find the platform, indicating enhanced spatial memory.
- Cocaine's memory-enhancing effect was observed only when administered within 2 hours, but not 4 hours, after training.
- Cocaine administration increased ERK2 phosphorylation and its downstream target, ribosomal S6 kinase, in the hippocampus.
- While no sex differences in MWM performance were found, females exhibited higher hippocampal PKA levels.
Conclusions:
- A low dose of cocaine (2.5 mg/kg), when administered shortly after training, can facilitate spatial memory consolidation in mice.
- Hippocampal ERK signaling pathways play a significant role in mediating cocaine's beneficial effects on spatial memory.
- The findings highlight the critical timing window for pharmacological interventions aimed at enhancing memory consolidation.
