title: The effect of flumazenil on acquisition, retention, and retrieval of spatial information.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacologia, Facultad de Ciencias Quimicas, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Brioni
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Arolfo
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jerusalinsky
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Medina
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Izquierdo
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D005442:Flumazenil