title: Dose- and delay-dependent working/episodic memory impairments following intraventricular administration of ethylcholine aziridinium ion (AF64A).
abstract: The present study examined the effects of intraventricular administration of the cholinergic neurotoxin ethylcholine aziridinium ion (AF64A) on performance of a radial arm maze task. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to perform a delayed-nonmatch to sample radial arm maze task in which a 1-h delay was imposed between the fourth and fifth arm selections. Following acquisition, animals were injected bilaterally with AF64A (1.5 or 0.75 nmol/side) or artificial cerebrospinal fluid into the lateral cerebral ventricles and allowed 7 days to recover before behavioral testing resumed. Significant dose- and delay-dependent impairments in the radial maze performance were observed in AF64A-treated rats as evidenced by fewer correct choices following the delay and by more errors to complete the task. Long-term testing in this task revealed significant recovery of memory performance. These findings indicate dose-dependent impairments in memory following intraventricular administration of AF64A and spontaneous behavioral recovery following such insult.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Loyola University School of Medicine, Maywood, Illinois 60153.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Chrobak
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Walsh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001388:Aziridines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002794:Choline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000187:drug effects; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001388:Aziridines; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; C044894:ethylcholine aziridinium; D002794:Choline