title: Agmatine facilitates memory of an inhibitory avoidance task in adult rats.
abstract: Agmatine is a new putative neurotransmitter; however, the physiological role(s) of this endogenous released polyamine is still to be determined. We investigated its cognitive effect in an inhibitory avoidance task in adult rats. Agmatine (0.1, 1, 10, and 20 mg/kg) or saline was administered ip immediately after training or 1 h before testing. Posttraining injection of agmatine facilitated (p < 0.05) memory consolidation in this task; however pretest treatment showed no effect on retrieval (p > 0.05). We suggest that the facilitatory effect of agmatine on memory consolidation in inhibitory avoidance task might be mediated through the activation of the locus coeruleus.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande does Sul--UFRGS, Rua Eurípedes Monteiro Duarte 10/305, 90830-250, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Nice S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Arteni
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lavinsky
authors.forename: Analú L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Verônica B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Frison
authors.forename: Carlos A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Netto
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000376:Agmatine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001665:Binding Sites; D054755:Imidazoline Receptors; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D011955:Receptors, Drug / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D054755:Imidazoline Receptors; D011955:Receptors, Drug; D000376:Agmatine