title: 5-HT(1A) and NMDA receptors interact in the rat medial septum and modulate hippocampal-dependent spatial learning.
abstract: Cholinergic and GABAergic neurons in the medial septum/vertical limb of the diagonal band of Broca (MS/vDB) projecting to the hippocampus, constitute the septohippocampal projection, which is important for hippocampal-dependent learning and memory. There is also evidence for an extrinsic as well as an intrinsic glutamatergic network within the MS/vDB. GABAergic and cholinergic septohippocampal neurons express the serotonergic 5-HT(1A) receptor and most likely also glutamatergic NMDA receptors. The aim of the present study was to examine whether septal 5-HT(1A) receptors are important for hippocampal-dependent long-term memory and whether these receptors interact with glutamatergic NMDA receptor transmission in a manner important for hippocampal-dependent spatial memory. Intraseptal infusion of the 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist (R)-8-OH-DPAT (1 or 4 microg/rat) did not affect spatial learning in the water maze task but impaired emotional memory in the passive avoidance task at the higher dose tested (4 microg/rat). While intraseptal administration of (R)-8-OH-DPAT (4 microg) combined with a subthreshold dose of the NMDA receptor antagonist D-AP5 (1 microg) only marginally affected spatial acquisition, it produced a profound impairment in spatial memory. In conclusion, septal 5-HT(1A) receptors appears to play a more prominent role in emotional than in spatial memory. Importantly, septal 5-HT(1A) and NMDA receptors appear to interact in a manner, which is particularly critical for the expression or retrieval of hippocampal-dependent long-term spatial memory. It is proposed that NMDA receptor hypofunction in the septal area may unmask a negative effect of 5-HT(1A) receptor activation on memory, which may be clinically relevant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. elin.elvander.tottie@ki.se
authors.forename: Elin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Elvander-Tottie
authors.forename: Therese M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sandin
authors.forename: Sven Ove
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Ogren
mesh_terms: D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology*; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A / Q000378:metabolism*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D020665:Septum of Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D058825:Serotonin 5-HT1 Receptor Agonists; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D058825:Serotonin 5-HT1 Receptor Agonists; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D044282:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1A; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin