title: Subtypes of central nicotinic receptors involved in learning and memory.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effects of different subtypes of central nicotinic receptor on learning and memory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Passive avoidance response, including step-down avoidance and step-through avoidance in mice and long-term potentiation (LTP) in rat hippocampal slices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hexamethonium (C6) 7 micrograms/mouse and kappa-bungarotoxin (kappa-BTX) 0.6 microgram/mouse inhibited the acquisition of avoidance conditioning in mice, and kappa-BTX yielded this effect with a dose-response relationship. kappa-BTX 1 mumol.L-1 suppressed the induction of LTP (P < 0.05), but not normal synaptic transmission and maintenance of LTP in rat hippocampal slices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The subtypes of central nicotinic receptor sensitive to kappa-BTX play an important role in learning and memory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Sun Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: R Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D002038:Bungarotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D018738:Hexamethonium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology; D017774:Long-Term Potentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002038:Bungarotoxins; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D018738:Hexamethonium