The effect of flumazenil on acquisition, retention, and retrieval of spatial information.
The effect of flumazenil, a benzodiazepine-receptor antagonist, was evaluated in a spatial-reference memory procedure in a water maze. Flumazenil (1.0, 3.0, and 10.0 mg/kg, ip) did not modify acquisition of spatial information. Retention was similar between control and experimental rats 24 h after the training phase, as all groups showed bias to the target quadrant in a free swim trial. However, 10 days later, only flumazenil-injected rats (3.0 mg/kg) showed bias to the target quadrant. Flumazenil did not affect retrieval of spatial information in a group of well-trained rats. These results suggest that a benzodiazepine-receptor mediated endogenous mechanism is activated during learning of spatial tasks and that its blockade facilitates retention of spatial information.
Brioni
J D
JD
Departamento de Farmacologia, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Argentina.
Arolfo
M P
MP
Jerusalinsky
D
D
Medina
J H
JH
Izquierdo
I
I
D000818:Animals; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004924:Escape Reaction / Q000187:drug effects*; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects*; D009949:Orientation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects*; D013550:Swimming
D005442:Flumazenil