Central Nomega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester does not influence lithium-induced c-Fos and conditioned taste aversion.
LiCl at doses sufficient to induce conditioned taste aversion (CTA) causes c-Fos expression in the brain regions implicated in CTA formation. It has been reported that nitric oxide (NO) may play a role in CTA learning and LiCl increases both the synthesis and activity of NO synthase (NOS) in the brain. In this study, we examined the effect of central Nomega-nitro-L- arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) on the brain c-Fos expression and CTA learning induced by lithium in rats. In the results, intracerebroventricular L-NAME given prior to lithium did not change either the lithium-induced CTA or c-Fos in the relevant brain regions. This suggests that the brain NO system may not be involved in the neuronal activation during lithium-induced CTA formation.
Jahng
Jeong Won
JW
Department of Pharmacology and Yonsei Brain Research Institute, BK21 Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Choi
Si Ho
SH
Kim
Dong Goo
DG
Houpt
Thomas A
TA
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008094:Lithium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000032:analysis*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008094:Lithium; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester