Vasopressin modulates the activity of nicotinic cholinergic mechanisms during memory retrieval in mice.
Lysine vasopressin (0.03 micrograms/kg, sc) enhanced retention test performance on a one-trial step-through inhibitory avoidance task when injected into male Swiss mice 20 min before the retention test. Tests were done 48 h following training. A low dose of the vasopressin antagonist AAVP (0.01 microgram/kg, sc, 20 min prior to testing) did not significantly affect retention test performance, whereas a higher dose (0.03 microgram/kg, sc) impaired it. Neither lysine vasopressin nor AAVP when given prior to testing modified latencies to step-through of mice that had not received a footshock during training. The simultaneous administration of AAVP (0.01 microgram/kg, sc) prevented the enhancement of retention test performance induced by lysine vasopressin. The influence of lysine vasopressin on retention test performance was antagonized by the simultaneous administration of mecamylamine (5 mg/kg, sc) but not by hexamethonium (5 mg/kg, sc), atropine (0.5 mg/kg, sc), or methylatropine (0.5 mg/kg, sc). A modulatory role of vasopressin on the activity of central cholinergic nicotinic mechanisms which probably operate at the time of testing is suggested.
D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018738:Hexamethonium; D006584:Hexamethonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology; D008236:Lypressin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008464:Mecamylamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
D006584:Hexamethonium Compounds; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D014667:Vasopressins; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D018738:Hexamethonium; D008236:Lypressin; D008464:Mecamylamine; C025043:vasopressin, 1-(1-mercaptocyclohexaneacetic acid)-2-(O- methyl-L-tyrosine)-8-L-arginine-; D001285:Atropine