Epinephrine-induced enhancement of memory retrieval for inhibitory avoidance conditioning in preweanling Sprague-Dawley rats.
Developmental research on memory is commonly conducted using preweanling rats, but the extent to which these animals are susceptible to hormone-induced memory retrieval is unclear. This study examined the effects of epinephrine (.001, .01, or .1 mg/kg) on retrieval of IA conditioning in 17-day-old infants. Animals tested 24 hr following training performed significantly worse than infants tested 5 min after training and adults tested 24 hr later, indicating that infantile amnesia had occurred. Epinephrine attenuated this deficit in a dose-dependent manner, with a significant improvement in performance at doses of .01 mg/kg for latency and at .01 and .1 mg/kg for safe side-dependent measures. The role of epinephrine as a memory modulator is discussed in terms of its neurobiological and internal contextual effects.
Flint
Robert W
RW
The College of Saint Rose, Albany, NY 12203, USA. flintr@strose.edu
Bunsey
Michael D
MD
Riccio
David C
DC
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001245:Association Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004597:Electroshock; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects*
D004837:Epinephrine