title: Possible mechanism of haloperidol-induced enhancement of memory retrieval.
abstract: The effects of pretest administration of haloperidol on retention of a step-through passive avoidance task was studied with a 3-day training and retention test interval. Haloperidol at doses of 0.3 mg/kg and 0.5 mg/kg i.p. enhanced memory retrieval. This effect of haloperidol is possibly mediated by interaction with alpha 2-adrenergic receptors, that results in increasing the noradrenergic transmission, or it could be due to direct interaction with dopamine receptors. Yohimbine (2.5 mg/kg) also enhanced memory retrieval, as shown by haloperidol. Clonidine (0.05 mg/kg) significantly antagonized the effect of haloperidol on memory retrieval. Scopolamine (0.5 mg/kg) did not have any effect on enhancement of memory produced by haloperidol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chugh
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sankaranarayanan
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D015016:Yohimbine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015016:Yohimbine; D012601:Scopolamine; D006220:Haloperidol; D003000:Clonidine