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Effect of DSP-4 induced central noradrenergic depletion on tactile learning in rat
Soodeh Rajabi1, Ali Shamsizadeh, Hossein Amini
1Kerman Neuroscience Research Centre, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Iran.
Objective:
There is general agreement that norepinephrine could modulate neuronal responses to non-monoaminergic synaptic inputs in the somatosensory cortex. In the present study, we investigated the effect of central norepinephrine depletion on tactile learning in rats.
Methods:
Central norepinephrine depletion was induced using 50 mg/kg of N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2 bromobenzylamine (DSP-4) and verified by high performance liquid chromatography. Memory performance was assessed 1 and 5 weeks after DSP-4 treatment using novel object recognition test.
Result:
We observed a learning impairment in both DSP-4 groups, as the preference index was not significantly altered when compared to chance level (50%).
Discussion:
These findings suggest that depletion of central norepinephrine by DSP-4 leads to impairment of the tactile learning in rats, which can last at least for 35 days.
