2-deoxygalactose interferes with an intermediate processing stage of memory

The effect of 2-deoxygalactose (2-D-gal), an inhibitor of glycoprotein synthesis, on memory formation was investigated with the day-old chick trained on a single-trial passive discrimination task. 2-D-gal (10 mumol/chick) was shown to inhibit memory formation at a time before the emergence of an antibiotic-sensitive long-term memory stage. The amnestic effect of 2-D-gal was successfully prevented by galactose, and more significantly by noradrenaline. In contrast, anisomycin-induced amnesia was resistant to challenge by either galactose or noradrenaline. The results are consistent with the view that some glycoprotein involvement in memory formation occurs prior to the formation of protein synthesis-dependent long-term memory, and this role of glycoproteins may be associated with the triggering of long-term memory formation by noradrenaline.