title: Progesterone enhances learning and memory of aged wildtype and progestin receptor knockout mice.
abstract: Progesterone can enhance cognitive performance among young and aged mice; however, the mechanisms underlying these effects of progesterone are not well-understood. Aged, mice which lack functional progestin receptors (PRKO), or wildtype mice were administered progesterone (10mg/kg, SC), or vehicle, and learning/memory was evaluated. Progesterone, compared to vehicle, produced a conditioned place preference in PRKO and wildtype mice. Progesterone improved performance of PRKO and wildtype mice in the object placement, water maze, contextual and cued fear conditioning tasks. PRKO, compared to wildtype, mice performed better in the inhibitory avoidance task, irrespective of progesterone. Thus, progesterone to aged mice enhances performance across a variety of tasks and this may not require actions at PRs.
authors.affiliation: The Departments of Psychology and Biology & Centers for Life Science and Neuroscience Research, The University at Albany-State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, United States. fryeca@gmail.com
authors.forename: Cheryl A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Frye
authors.forename: Alicia A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Walf
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological / Q000187:drug effects; D003463:Cues; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D011374:Progesterone