Cognitive enhancing properties of beta-CCM infused into the nucleus basalis magnocellularis of the rat.
Peripheral administration of various benzodiazepine derivatives or beta-carbolines (inverse agonists at benzodiazepine receptors), has been shown to affect memory. In this study, the effect of local infusion of a beta-carboline-methyl beta carboline-3-carboxylate (beta-CCM) into the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) of rats was examined in a two-trial recognition task. The results show that beta-CMM (3 micrograms/0.5 microliter) enhances recognition performance when injected both before or immediately after the acquisition trial. These effects appear to be mediated by a benzodiazepine (BZD) receptor since they were blocked by pretreatment with Ro 15-1788, a BZD receptor antagonist. This study supports the involvement of the NBM in cognitive processes, and demonstrates that these processes can be influenced by alteration of GABAergic neurotransmission.
Mayo
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Laboratoire de Psychobiologie des Comportements Adaptatifs, INSERM Unité 259, Université de Bordeaux II, France.
Dellu
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Cherkaoui
J
J
Chapouthier
G
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Dodd
R H
RH
Le Moal
M
M
Simon
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H
D000818:Animals; D002243:Carbolines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000494:pharmacology; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013377:Substantia Innominata / Q000187:drug effects*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*
D002243:Carbolines; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005442:Flumazenil; C036150:beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid methyl ester