l-DOPA improves odor discrimination learning in rats.
Using a forced-choice odor discrimination task in rats, we show here that intraperitoneal injections of l-DOPA improve rats' odor discrimination performance in comparison to control rats injected with saline. Although the exact mechanism of l-DOPA and potential action on dopamine receptors remains unclear, the present results indicate that rats injected with the 20-50 mg/kg of l-DOPA performed significantly better in an odor discrimination task than did control rats. In addition, we observed a significant correlation between the concentration of l-DOPA and odor discrimination performance.
Pavlis
Michelle
M
Department of Neurobiology and Behavior Mudd Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
Feretti
Casara
C
Levy
Alan
A
Gupta
Nita
N
Linster
Christiane
C
D000818:Animals; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007980:Levodopa / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012903:Smell / Q000187:drug effects*
D015259:Dopamine Agents; D007980:Levodopa