title: Involvement of basolateral amygdala alpha2-adrenoceptors in modulating consolidation of inhibitory avoidance memory.
abstract: These experiments investigated the role of the alpha(2)-adrenoceptors of the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLA) in modulating the retention of inhibitory avoidance (IA). In Experiment 1, male Sprague Dawley rats implanted with bilateral cannulae in the BLA received microinfusions of a selective alpha(2)-adrenoceptor antagonist idazoxan 20 min either before or immediately after training. Retention was tested 48 h later. Idazoxan induced a dose-dependent enhancement of retention performance and was more effective when administered post-training. In Experiment 2, animals received pre- or post-training intra-BLA infusions of a selective alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonist UK 14,304. The agonist induced a dose-dependent impairment of retention performance and, as with the antagonist treatments, post-training infusions were more effective. These results provide additional evidence that consolidation of inhibitory avoidance memory depends critically on prolonged activation of the noradrenergic system in the BLA and indicate that this modulatory influence is mediated, in part, by pre-synaptic alpha(2)-adrenoceptors.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Neurosciences Sensorielles Comportementales et Cognitives, UMR 5020 CNRS-Université Lyon 1, 69366 Lyon Cedex 07, France. bferry@olfac.univ-lyon1.fr
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ferry
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: McGaugh
mesh_terms: D058669:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Antagonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000679:Amygdala / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D002452:Cell Count; D003216:Conditioning, Operant; D019329:Idazoxan / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 / Q000187:drug effects*; D017661:Receptors, Presynaptic / Q000187:drug effects; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D058669:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Antagonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2; D017661:Receptors, Presynaptic; D009638:Norepinephrine; D019329:Idazoxan