Post-training reversible inactivation of the rat's basolateral amygdala interferes with hippocampus-dependent place avoidance memory in a time-dependent manner.
In this study, tetrodotoxin (TTX) inactivation was employed to evaluate the involvement of the rat's basolateral amygdala (BLA) in hippocampus-dependent spatial memory using a place avoidance learning task. Rats were trained in single 30 min session to avoid a 60 degrees segment of the stable circular (80-cm diameter) arena, entering which was punished by a mild shock. Bilateral injections of TTX or saline were made either immediately, 1 or 2h after training. Retention was tested 24h later in a 30 min extinction session. Retention was impaired when both BLA inactivated immediately or 1h after training, but not 2h after training. These data indicate that activity in the BLA, at least 60 min after training, is necessary for the post-training processing of a hippocampus-dependent place avoidance memory.
Vafaei
Abbas Ali
AA
Laboratory of Learning and Memory, Department and Research Center of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
Jezek
Karel
K
Bures
Jan
J
Fenton
André A
AA
Rashidy-Pour
Ali
A
D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004777:Environment; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013779:Tetrodotoxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D013779:Tetrodotoxin