title: Nitric oxide is involved in the memory facilitation induced by spermidine in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Spermidine (SPD) is an endogenous polyamine that modulates N-methyl-D: -aspartate receptor functions, which has been reported to facilitate memory formation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In the current study, we investigated the involvement of nitric oxide in the facilitatory effect of SPD on the memory of adult male Wistar rats in the inhibitory avoidance task.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The coadministration of the nonspecific NOS inhibitor N (G) nitro-L: -arginine methyl ester (L: -NAME) (0.1 nmol, intrahippocampus) with spermidine (0.2 nmol), immediately after training, prevented the memory improvement caused by spermidine in the avoidance inhibitory task. Spermidine increased nitrite and nitrate levels (NO(X)) in the hippocampus 30 min after its administration, and L: -NAME coinjection prevented the stimulatory effect of spermidine on NO(X) levels. The systemic injection of 7-nitroindazole (30 mg/kg, i.p.), 30 min before training, impaired memory and did not prevent spermidine-induced increase of NO(X) levels in the hippocampus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that memory enhancement by spermidine is prevented by the nonspecific nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L: -NAME.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Laboratório de Neurotoxicidade e Psicofarmacologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil, marubin@smail.ufsm.br
authors.forename: Gustavo Petri
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: Carlos Fernando
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.forename: Patricia Dutra
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Sauzem
authors.forename: Daiane Bolzan
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Berlese
authors.forename: Ana Flávia
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Furian
authors.forename: Zuleica
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tabarelli
authors.forename: Maribel Antonello
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rubin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D007191:Indazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013095:Spermidine / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007191:Indazoles; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D013095:Spermidine; C080122:7-nitroindazole; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester