Effects of two ACTH analogs on successive odor discrimination learning in rats

Olfactory discrimination learning has been shown to provide a powerful tool to investigate the mechanisms involved in the formation, storage and retrieval of information in rodent CNS. In the present study we tested the effects of two ACTH analogs, which were previously reported to influence the processes of learning and memory, on various olfactory learning tasks. The ACTH(4-9) analog HOE 427 produced an apparent increase in storage of olfactory information as shown by the difficulty experienced by the animals to rapidly reverse their behavioral responses to previously learned odors. Similarly, the ACTH (4-9) analog ORG 2766 appears to enhance the storage of olfactory information when administered either before or after the learning trials. These data are consistent with the notion that ACTH and related analogs facilitate performance in a variety of learning tasks. In addition, our results suggest possible mechanisms by which some neuroactive peptides might modulate learning and memory processes in the CNS.