title: DDC-induced amnesia and norepinephrine: a correlated behavioral-biochemical analysis.
abstract: Diethyldithiocarbamic acid (DDC), a dopamine-B-hydroxylase inhibitor, when injected into rats 30 min to 6 h before training of a passive avoidance task, impaired formation of long-term memory as indicated by performance on a retention test 24 h later. Performance of the task was at its minimum when injection occurred 2 to 4 h prior to training; recovery was evident in animals trained 5 or 6 h after drug treatment. Catecholamine assay of brains of temporally yoked animals showed that norepinephrine depletion followed a time course paralleling that of the amnesia. These findings support the hypothesis that the degree of memory storage, as reflected in performance following training in a passive avoidance task, can be directly correlated with the level of norepinephrine existing at the time of training.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D004050:Ditiocarb / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013859:Thiocarbamates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D013859:Thiocarbamates; D004050:Ditiocarb; D009638:Norepinephrine