title: Nitric oxide modulates state dependency induced by lithium in an inhibitory avoidance task in mice.
abstract: The effect of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of L-arginine, a nitric oxide (NO) precursor and L-NAME, an inhibitor of NO synthase, on retrieval of state-dependent memory induced by LiCl (lithium) was investigated. A one-trial step-down inhibitory avoidance task was used for memory assessment in adult male NMRI mice. Intraperitoneal administration of lithium (10 mg/kg), immediately after training, impaired memory on the test day. Pretest administration of different doses of lithium (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) reversed the impairment of memory caused by posttraining lithium (10 mg/kg). In addition, pretest administration of L-arginine (0.001, 0.01 and 0.1 microg/mouse, i.c.v.) or L-NAME (0.001, 0.01 and 0.1 microg/mouse, i.c.v.) also reversed amnesia induced by posttraining lithium. Furthermore, pretest coadministration with lithium of a dose of L-arginine (0.0001 microg/mouse, i.c.v.) or L-NAME (0.0001 microg/mouse, i.c.v.) that had no effects when administered alone, increased the effect of lithium on retrieval of inhibitory avoidance memory. The results suggest that NO may have a modulatory role on state-dependent retrieval of inhibitory avoidance memory induced by lithium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences/University of Tehran, Iran. zarinmr@ams.ac.ir
authors.forename: Mohammad-Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Zarrindast
authors.forename: Manizheh Mardaneh
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Shendy
authors.forename: Shamseddin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D018021:Lithium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase
chemical_list: D018692:Antimanic Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D018021:Lithium Chloride; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester