Effect of propofol on memory in mice.
The amnestic effects of the intravenous hypnotic anesthetic agent 2,6-diisopropylphenol (propofol; Diprivan) were studied in a single-trial passive avoidance task. Mice were injected with propofol 10 min before or immediately after training. Memory was impaired in a dose-dependent fashion when the anesthetic was administered before learning, but no amnesia was apparent with posttraining injections. Examination of the acquisition of passive avoidance using a multitrial task showed that propofol-treated mice learned the response normally but forgot the learning significantly faster than vehicle-treated controls. The anterograde amnesia was not the result of state-dependent learning. Propofol also disrupted extinction of fear conditioning when the anesthetic was given during the extinction session. Propofol-induced amnesia could be attenuated by amphetamine (1 mg/kg) injected 30 min before the retention test.
Pang
R
R
Department of Anesthesiology, New York University School of Medicine, NY 10016.
Quartermain
D
D
Rosman
E
E
Turndorf
H
H
D000648:Amnesia, Retrograde / Q000139:chemically induced; D000758:Anesthesia; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D003913:Dextroamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005108:Extinction, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D006221:Halothane; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D015742:Propofol / Q000494:pharmacology*
D003913:Dextroamphetamine; D006221:Halothane; D015742:Propofol