title: Spider toxin (JSTX-3) inhibits the memory retrieval of passive avoidance tests.
abstract: The effect of a spider toxin (JSTX-3)--a specific blocker of quisqualate sensitive type of glutamate receptors--on learning and memory was studied in mice using passive avoidance tests (step-through and step-down tests) and the water maze test. JSTX-3 was injected into lateral ventricles of chronically cannulated mice at a dose of 22.2 pmol/brain, which did not produce any apparent behavioral changes. This chemical significantly impaired the retrieval of memory in the step-through test and showed a similar (though not statistically significant) tendency in the step-down test, but it had no effect on acquisition or consolidation of memory in both tests. In the water maze test, this chemical had no effect on escape latencies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Himi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakajima
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001180:Arthropod Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001180:Arthropod Venoms; C044936:JSTX spider toxin; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D017981:Receptors, Neurotransmitter; D013111:Spider Venoms