title: Evidence for the involvement of neuronal nitric oxide synthase and soluble guanylate cyclase on cognitive functions in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The influence of 3-bromo-7-nitroindazole (3-Br 7-NI), a potent and selective neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitor, and [1H-[1,2,4]-oxadiazole[4,3a]-quinoxaline-1-one] (ODQ), a highly selective, irreversible inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), on working and reference memory and emotional learning was investigated in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  The effects were assessed in the three-panel runway and step-down passive avoidance task, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  3-Br 7-NI (5, 10, and 20mg/kg) and ODQ (5, 10, and 20mg/kg) significantly increased the number of errors and latency of both working and reference memory performance of rats and impaired retention for the passive avoidance task. The effect of 3-Br 7-NI was reversed by l-arginine (250 mg/kg).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings of the study supported the hypothesis that nNOS inhibition disrupts reference and working memory processes in terms of an impairment in the strategies used for solving learning tasks, and, according to these results, nNOS-sGC may be required for emotional learning and both reference and working memory.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Experimental Medical Research and Application Center, Kocaeli University, Kocaeli, Turkey.
authors: Ipek
authors: I
authors: Komsuoglu-Celikyurt
authors: Semil S
authors: SS
authors: Gocmez
authors: Oguz
authors: O
authors: Mutlu
authors: Nejat
authors: N
authors: Gacar
authors: Feyza
authors: F
authors: Aricioglu
authors: Tijen
authors: T
authors: Utkan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D007191:Indazoles / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D010069:Oxadiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects; D000071756:Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase
chemical_list: C095284:1H-(1,2,4)oxadiazolo(4,3-a)quinoxalin-1-one; C106731:3-bromo-7-nitroindazole; D007191:Indazoles; D010069:Oxadiazoles; D011810:Quinoxalines; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D001120:Arginine; D052248:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D000071756:Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase