title: Facilitation of memory consolidation by vasopressin: mediation by terminals of the dorsal noradrenergic bundle?
abstract: Administration of arginine-vasopressin (AVP, 5 micrograms, s.c.) immediately after the learning trial results in a long-term facilitation of a one-trial learning passive avoidance response. This effect of AVP is absent in animals with prior destruction of the ascending dorsal noradrenergic bundle by bilateral microinjection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). Postlearning local microinjection of a minute amount of AVP via chronically implanted cannulae into the locus coeruleus did not influence passive avoidance behavior. Upon injection into the midbrain dorsal raphe nucleus, however AVP facilitated passive avoidance behavior. This effect, however, was absent in rats receiving previous microinjection of 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine (5,6-DHT) or of 6-OHDA into the dorsal raphe nucleus. Bilateral 6-OHDA-induced lesions of the nucleus accumbens or 5,6-DHT-induced destruction of the dorsal raphe nucleus did not prevent the effect of AVP administered subcutaneously. The data suggest that vasopressin facilitates memory consolidation processes by modulating noradrenergic neurotransmission in terminals of the dorsal noradrenergic bundle. The serotoninergic neuronal network originating from the dorsal raphe nucleus has a secondary--norepinephrine-mediated--influence upon these processes.
mesh_terms: D015115:5,6-Dihydroxytryptamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006892:Hydroxydopamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000187:drug effects; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000187:drug effects; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006892:Hydroxydopamines; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D012701:Serotonin; D004298:Dopamine; D015115:5,6-Dihydroxytryptamine; D009638:Norepinephrine