Learning impairments caused by lesions to the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus: an artifact of anxiety?
Bilateral N-methyl-d-aspartate lesions of the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) blocked the acquisition of a delayed non-matching to position task (DNMP) performed in a T-maze. This acquisition impairment, however, was reversed by pre-testing injections of diazepam (1 mg/kg). These results, in addition to the finding that PPTg lesions elevated anxiety as measured by the elevated plus maze, suggest that PPTg is not involved in learning or memory, but in the regulation of anxiety.
Department of Psychology, McGill University, 1205 Dr. Penfield Ave., Montreal, Quebec H3A-1B1, Canada.
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Franklin
D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016477:Artifacts; D003975:Diazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000633:toxicity; D011149:Pons / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D003975:Diazepam