title: Dissociation of cholinergic function in spatial and procedural learning in rats.
abstract: The cholinergic system has long been known for its role in acquisition and retention of new information. Scopolamine, a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist impairs multiple memory systems, and this has promoted the notion that drug-induced side effects are responsible for diminished task execution rather than selective impairments on learning and memory per se. Here, we revisit this issue with the aim to dissociate the effects of scopolamine (0.2-1.0 mg/kg) on spatial learning in the water maze. Experiments 1 and 2 showed that acquisition of a reference memory paradigm with constant platform location is compromised by scopolamine independent of whether the animals are pre-trained or not. Deficits were paralleled by drug induced side-effects on sensorimotor parameters. Experiment 3 explored the role of muscarinic receptors in acquisition of an episodic-like spatial delayed matching to position (DMTP) protocol, and scopolamine still caused a learning deficit and side-effects on sensorimotor performance. Rats extensively pre-trained in the DMTP protocol with 30 s and 1 h delays over several months in experiment 4 and tested in a within-subject design under saline and scopolamine had no sensorimotor deficits, but spatial working memory remained compromised. Experiment 5 used the rising Atlantis platform in the DMTP paradigm. Intricate analysis of the amount of dwelling and its location revealed a clear deficit in spatial working memory induced by scopolamine, but there was no effect on sensorimotor or procedural task demands. Apart from the well-known contribution to sensorimotor and procedural learning, our findings provide compelling evidence for an important role of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor signaling in spatial episodic-like memory.
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Sciences, College of Life Science and Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: von Linstow Roloff
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harbaran
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Micheau
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Platt
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Riedel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic / Q000502:physiology; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D011976:Receptors, Muscarinic; D012601:Scopolamine