Nitric oxide formation does not underlie the memory deficits produced by ibotenate injections into the nucleus basalis of rats.
Basal forebrain (BF) injections of ibotenic (IBO) acid impair memory, whereas quisqualic (QUIS) acid injections do not. The authors investigated whether the cytotoxicity and differential behavioral effects of IBO and QUIS in rats depend on the generation of nitric oxide (NO). Injections of IBO or sodium nitroprusside (NP), but not QUIS, significantly increased BF NO formation, as determined by guanosine 3,5-cyclic monophosphate levels. IBO, alone or coinjected with methylene blue (MB), and QUIS, alone or coinjected with NP, decreased cortical choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity and the number of ChAT-positive BF neurons. The BF levels of galanin or neuropeptide Y were unchanged in all lesion groups. QUIS, but not IBO, dose-dependently destroyed NO-producing BF cells. Injections of IBO, with or without MB, impaired choice accuracy in a T-maze alternation task. The results suggest that the generation of NO in the BF does not underlie the spatial working memory deficit produced by IBO.
Division of Neural Systems, Memory and Aging, University of Arizona, Tucson 85724.
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Harrington
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Mobley
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Wenk
D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D007051:Ibotenic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects*; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D009949:Orientation / Q000187:drug effects*; D016318:Quisqualic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000187:drug effects; D018079:Receptors, GABA / Q000187:drug effects; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects; D013377:Substantia Innominata / Q000187:drug effects*
D009478:Neuropeptide Y; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D018079:Receptors, GABA; D009599:Nitroprusside; D007051:Ibotenic Acid; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D016318:Quisqualic Acid; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D008751:Methylene Blue