Tiagabine, a gamma-amino-butyric acid transporter inhibitor impairs spatial learning of rats in the Morris water-maze.
gamma-Amino-butyric acid (GABA) is cleaved from the synaptic cleft by uptake via specific transporters. Inhibition of such transporters increases the effectiveness of physiologically released GABA. Increased GABAergic neurotransmission has an impact on learning and memory. Therefore, effects of tiagabine, a GABA-transporter inhibitor, were investigated on spatial orientation in the Morris water-maze. Rats were given four training trials per day for 4 days and a probe trial without platform on the 5th day. Compared to saline treated rats, rats treated daily with 20 mg/kg tiagabine showed impaired learning during the acquisition trials. Retrieval was impaired in rats treated only at the probe trial with tiagabine. These results further elucidate the role of GABA in learning and memory.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, Germany.
Ulrich
U
Schmitt
Christoph
C
Hiemke
D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050485:GABA Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D009557:Nipecotic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D027361:Organic Anion Transporters; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology; D000078308:Tiagabine
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018755:GABA Agonists; D050485:GABA Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009557:Nipecotic Acids; D027361:Organic Anion Transporters; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D000078308:Tiagabine