Effects of brain histamine on memory deficit induced by nucleus basalis-lesion in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether or not brain histamine was involved in memory deficits induced by lesions of nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) in rats.


METHODS
Passive avoidance response was used to measure memory process in rats, and NBM was bilaterally lesioned by injection of ibotenic acid (6 microg/site).


RESULTS
Icv injection of histamine (500 ng), and ip injection of histidine (1500 mg/kg), metoprine (10 mg/kg) or tacrine (3, 5 mg/kg) ameliorated memory impairment induced by NBM lesion regarding passive avoidance response. The ameliorating effect of histidine was antagonized by pyrilamine (2-5 mg/kg), a H1-antagonist, but not by zolantidine, a H2-antagonist.


CONCLUSIONS
Histaminergic neurons play an important role in learning and memory via H1-receptor, and its action may be due to cholinergic neurons.
Chen
Zhong
Z
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310031, China. chenzfl@hotmail.com
Shen
Ying-Jie
YJ
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000473:pathology*; D006632:Histamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007051:Ibotenic Acid; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011969:Receptors, Histamine H1 / Q000378:metabolism*
D011969:Receptors, Histamine H1; D007051:Ibotenic Acid; D006632:Histamine