title: Effects of a neurotensin analogue (PD149163) and antagonist (SR142948A) on the scopolamine-induced deficits in a novel object discrimination task.
abstract: Various lines of evidence suggest a role in cognition for the endogenous neuropeptide, neurotensin, involving an interaction with the central nervous system cholinergic pathways. A preliminary study has shown that central administration of neurotensin enhances spatial and nonspatial working memory in the presence of scopolamine, a muscarinic receptor antagonist which induces memory deficits. Utilizing similar methods, the present study employed a two-trial novel object discrimination task to determine the acute effect of a neurotensin peptide analogue with improved metabolic stability, PD149163, on recognition memory in Lister hooded rats. Consistent with previous findings with neurotensin, animals receiving an intracerebroventricular injection of PD149163 (3 microg) significantly discriminated the novel from familiar object during the choice trial. In addition, a similar dose of PD149163 restored the scopolamine-induced deficit in novelty recognition. The restoration effect on scopolamine-induced amnesia produced by PD149163 was blocked by SR142948A, a nonselective neurotensin receptor antagonist, at a dose of 1 mg/kg (intraperitonial) but not at 0.1 mg/kg. In conclusion, the present results confirm a role for neurotensin in mediating memory processes, possibly via central cholinergic mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. azrina@medic.ukm.my
authors.forename: Norazrina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Azmi
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Norman
authors.forename: Clare H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Spicer
authors.forename: Geoffrey W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Bennett
mesh_terms: D000218:Adamantane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005556:Form Perception / Q000187:drug effects*; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D018028:Receptors, Neurotensin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D007093:Imidazoles; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; C117269:PD 149163; D018028:Receptors, Neurotensin; C104418:SR 142948A; D009496:Neurotensin; D012601:Scopolamine; D000218:Adamantane