Different effects of scopolamine on the retrieval of spatial memory and fear memory.
Retrieval of memory is fundamental for our life as individuals. The participation of cholinergic system in memory consolidation process has been extensively studied, but there are few data concerning the function of this system in memory retrieval process. In the current study, we inject non-selective muscarinic antagonist scopolamine peripherally 20 min before training or testing to see whether cholinergic modulation has effects on the acquisition or retrieval of spatial memory by water maze task and fear memory by inhibitory avoidance task. We find that the cholinergic system is essential for the acquisition of both spatial memory and fear memory. As for the memory retrieval, the cholinergic system has a positive role in the retrieval of spatial memory, because mice injected with scopolamine 20 min before the testing in the water maze show impaired spatial memory retrieval. Whereas injection of scopolamine 20 min before the testing in the inhibitory avoidance task does not cause memory retrieval deficits. That indicates the cholinergic system is not essential for the retrieval of fear memory.
Huang
Zhen-Bo
ZB
CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
Wang
Hao
H
Rao
Xiu-Rong
XR
Zhong
Gui-Fa
GF
Hu
Wen-Hui
WH
Sheng
Guo-Qing
GQ
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects*; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012601:Scopolamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects*
D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D012601:Scopolamine