title: Evidence for a possible interaction between noradrenergic and serotonergic neurotransmission in the retrieval of a previously learned aversive habit in mice.
abstract: The present series of experiments examined the effects of pretreating pirenperone-injected mice with a variety of non-serotonergic receptor antagonists on retrieval of a one-trial inhibitory (passive) avoidance task. Water-deprived mice were trained to avoid drinking from a water spout located in the avoidance chamber by pairing foot-shock with licks from the water spout. Retention was measured as the suppression of drinking (latency to drink) 48 h later. Pre-test administration of pirenperone (1.0 mg/kg) significantly enhanced retrieval (increased latencies). The suppression of drinking could not be attributed to the non-specific effects of pirenperone on behavior in general, as the performance of non-contigently shocked mice injected with the same dose of pirenperone did not exhibit a similar elevation in latencies. Of the seven pretreatment drugs examined, only phenoxybenzamine (1.0 mg/kg) completely blocked the pirenperone-induced response. Bicuculline (1.0 mg/kg) partially attenuated the enhanced performance resulting from pre-test pirenperone administration. The results suggest that the pirenperone-induced response may be partly due to activation of noradrenergic (alpha) neurotransmission.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Normile
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Altman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001640:Bicuculline / Q000494:pharmacology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010643:Phenoxybenzamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic / Q000187:drug effects*; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D010880:Piperidines; D011941:Receptors, Adrenergic; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D014149:Tranquilizing Agents; D010643:Phenoxybenzamine; D011433:Propranolol; D012601:Scopolamine; D006220:Haloperidol; D001640:Bicuculline; C034177:pirenperone