Infusion of neurosteroids into the nucleus basalis magnocellularis affects cognitive processes in the rat.
The neurosteroids, pregnenolone sulfate (PREG-S) and tetrahydroprogesterone (TH-PROG), act on the GABAA receptor with antagonist or agonist-like properties, respectively. In this study the effect of the infusion of PREG-S and TH-PROG into the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) of the rat was examined in a two-trial memory task. The results show that PREG-S (5 ng in 0.5 microliter) enhances memory performance when injected after an acquisition trial; conversely TH-PROG (2 ng in 0.5 microliter) disrupts performance when injected before an acquisition trial. A role for neurosteroids in memory processes subserved by the nucleus basalis magnocellularis is of interest in view of the implication of this structure and these substances in neurodegenerative processes.
Mayo
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Laboratoire de Psychobiologie des Comportements Adaptatifs, INSERM Unité 259, Université de Bordeaux II, France.
Dellu
F
F
Robel
P
P
Cherkaoui
J
J
Le Moal
M
M
Baulieu
E E
EE
Simon
H
H
D000818:Animals; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D058787:GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D011280:Pregnanolone / Q000494:pharmacology; D011284:Pregnenolone / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects; D013256:Steroids / Q000494:pharmacology*
D058787:GABA-A Receptor Antagonists; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D013256:Steroids; D011284:Pregnenolone; D011280:Pregnanolone