N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist D-APV selectively disrupts taste-potentiated odor aversion learning.
Two experiments examined the effects of the competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist D-APV (D-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate) on rats' ability to acquire potentiated aversions to the odor element of a taste-odor compound. In Experiment 1, pretreatment with D-APV (2.5 micrograms/side icv) caused stereospecific deficits in potentiated odor aversion learning but left simple taste and odor aversion learning intact. In Experiment 2, pretreatment with D-APV had no effect on rats' acquisition of an illness-based odor discrimination task. These results parallel those previously obtained using a noncompetitive NMDA antagonist (Robinson, Crooks, Shinkman, & Gallagher, 1989) and show that interference with NMDA receptors can selectively impair potentiated odor aversion learning. These results suggest that NMDA receptors play a critical role in some, but not all, forms of learning and memory.
Willner
J
J
Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599-3270.
Gallagher
M
M
Graham
P W
PW
Crooks
G B
GB
D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects*; D012903:Smell / Q000187:drug effects*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects*
D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate