Memory retrieval enhancement by kappa opioid agonist and mu, delta antagonists

The present study sought to identify specific opioid receptor subtypes involved in the modulation of reactivation of amnesic or forgotten memory traces by use of a one-trial inhibitory avoidance training procedures in mice. The effects of naloxone, ICI 174,864 (mu and delta opioid receptor antagonists, respectively) and dynorphin (kappa agonist) were investigated. The results indicated that preretention test administration of naloxone (2 mg/kg) or ICI 174,864 (3 mg/kg) attenuated the amnesia and forgetting as indicated by prolongation of step-through latency. On the other hand, the activation of kappa opioid receptors by dynorphin (1 mg/kg) also showed reactivating effects both after amnesia and forgetting. On the basis of the parallelism of the effects for mu and delta opioid receptor antagonists and kappa agonist, and on the finding that all three opioids demonstrated a different degree of reactivation of amnesic and forgotten memory traces, it was concluded that mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors contribute to the modulation of amnesia and forgetting by independent mechanisms.