Long-term memory formation in chicks is blocked by 2-deoxygalactose, a fucose analog.
When day-old chicks are trained on a passive avoidance task there is enhanced synthesis of glycoproteins. Bilateral intracerebral injections of 20 mumole of 2-deoxygalactose (2-D-gal), administered just before and just after training on the task, produce amnesia for the avoidance. Amnesia develops slowly over the first hour and persists for at least 24 h subsequently. If 2-D-gal injections are administered 4 h prior to the training or delayed for 3 h after training, no amnesia occurs. Apart from a brief initial suppression of pecking following injection there are no effects of 2-D-gal on other observed behaviors of the birds. Within the first hour this dose of 2-D-gal inhibits [3H]fucose incorporation into acid-insoluble material by 26% (or 68%, calculated relative to free pool fucose). The amnestic effect of 2-D-gal is not shown by galactose, glucose, fucose, or 2-D-glucose. Injecting 40 mumole of galactose simultaneously with the 2-D-gal abolishes the 2-D-gal-induced amnesia; 40 mumole of fucose, however, does not abolish the amnesia. The utility of 2-D-gal as an agent for analyzing the role of glycoproteins in memory formation is discussed.
Rose
S P
SP
Brain Research Group, Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom.
Jork
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R
D000818:Animals; D001070:Appetitive Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens; D005260:Female; D005643:Fucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005690:Galactose / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects*; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects*
D005643:Fucose; C019327:2-deoxy-lyxo-hexose; D005690:Galactose