Involvement of NO-synthase and nicotinic receptors in learning in the honey bee.
Restrained worker honey bees (Apis mellifera) are one of the main models for the comparative study of learning and memory processes. Bees easily learn to associate a sucrose reward to antennal tactile scanning of a small metal plate (associative learning). Their proboscis extension response can also be habituated through repeated sucrose stimulations (non-associative learning). We studied the role of nitric oxide synthase and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in these two forms of learning. The nicotinic antagonist MLA or the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor l-NAME impaired the formation of tactile associative long-term memory that specifically occurs during multiple-trial training; however these drugs had no effect on single-trial training. None of the drugs affected retrieval processes. These pharmacological results are consistent with data previously obtained with olfactory conditioning and indicate that MLA-sensitive nicotinic receptors and NO-synthase are specifically involved in long-term memory. MLA and l-NAME both reduced the number of trials required for habituation to occur. This result suggests that a reduction of cholinergic nicotinic neurotransmission promotes PER habituation in the honey bee.
Dacher
M
M
Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale UMR-CNRS 5169 Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse III, Bât 4R3, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse Cedex 09, France. dacher@asu.edu
Gauthier
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M
D000157:Aconitine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001245:Association Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001516:Bees / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012201:Reward; D013395:Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013997:Time Factors
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic; D013549:Sweetening Agents; C054634:methyllycaconitine; D013395:Sucrose; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester; D000157:Aconitine