title: Effects of p-chlorophenylalanine and methysergide on the performance of a working memory task.
abstract: The present study investigated the effects of serotonergic dysfunction on working memory. Therefore, the effects of inhibition of serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] synthesis induced by p-chlorophenylalanine (p-CPA) and pharmacological blockade of 5-HT receptors by methysergide on the performance of rats in a delayed nonmatching to position task assessing spatial working memory were studied. Methysergide (1.0, 5.0, or 15.0 mg/kg) significantly disrupted behavioral activity of rats and decreased the percent correct total responses. However, the impairment in the percent correct responses was delay independent, indicating a nonmnemonic disruption of the performance. p-CPA (500 mg/kg/day x 3) induced an almost total depletion (> 97%) of frontal cortical and hippocampal serotonin and its major metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and slightly affected noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems. p-CPA treatment did not affect the percent correct responses. However, the behavioral activity of rats was slightly decreased by p-CPA. The disruptions in behavioral activity and the percent correct responses induced by methysergide (2.0 mg/kg) were not abolished by p-CPA. The present results do not support any important role for the serotonergic system in spatial working memory as assessed using the delayed nonmatching to position task.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jäkälä
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sirviö
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Riekkinen
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Riekkinen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D010134:Fenclonine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008784:Methysergide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D010134:Fenclonine; D008784:Methysergide