Cholinergic and serotonergic effects on the P3 potential and recent memory.
The effects of scopolamine (anticholinergic) and methysergide (antiserotonergic) on memory and long-latency auditory cognitive evoked potentials (EPs) were tested in 16 normal adults. Recent memory was impaired by both drugs. In contrast, scopolamine, but not methysergide, significantly delayed P3 latency and decreased P3 amplitude. Immediate memory and the earlier EP components (i.e., N1 and P2) were unaffected. The findings support the hypothesis that cholinergic neurons are important in the neuronal networks generating the P3 potential. Serotonergic neurons do not appear to play a major role in the networks that generate the P3.
Meador
K J
KJ
Department of Neurology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912.
Loring
D W
DW
Davis
H C
HC
Sethi
K D
KD
Patel
B R
BR
Adams
R J
RJ
Hammond
E J
EJ
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects*; D008784:Methysergide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000187:drug effects*; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012691:Serial Learning / Q000187:drug effects
D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012601:Scopolamine; D008784:Methysergide