title: Effects of Propranolol, a β-noradrenergic Antagonist, on Memory Consolidation and Reconsolidation in Mice.
abstract: Memory reconsolidation impairment using the β-noradrenergic receptor blocker propranolol is a promising novel treatment avenue for patients suffering from pathogenic memories, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, in order to better inform targeted treatment development, the effects of this compound on memory need to be better characterized via translational research. We examined the effects of systemic propranolol administration in mice undergoing a wide range of behavioral tests to determine more specifically which aspects of the memory consolidation and reconsolidation are impaired by propranolol. We found that propranolol (10 mg/kg) affected memory consolidation in non-aversive tasks (object recognition and object location) but not in moderately (Morris water maze (MWM) to highly (passive avoidance, conditioned taste aversion) aversive tasks. Further, propranolol impaired memory reconsolidation in the most and in the least aversive tasks, but not in the moderately aversive task, suggesting its amnesic effect was not related to task aversion. Moreover, in aquatic object recognition and location tasks in which animals were forced to behave (contrary to the classic versions of the tasks); propranolol did not impair memory reconsolidation. Taken together our results suggest that the memory impairment observed after propranolol administration may result from a modification of the emotional valence of the memory rather than a disruption of the contextual component of the memory trace. This is relevant to the use of propranolol to block memory reconsolidation in individuals with PTSD, as such a treatment would not erase the traumatic memory but only reduce the emotional valence associated with this event.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Université de Toulouse, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paul Sabatier (UPS) Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Villain
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Université de Toulouse, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paul Sabatier (UPS) Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Aïcha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Benkahoul
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Université de Toulouse, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paul Sabatier (UPS) Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Drougard
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Université de Toulouse, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paul Sabatier (UPS) Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lafragette
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Université de Toulouse, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paul Sabatier (UPS) Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Elodie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Muzotte
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Université de Toulouse, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paul Sabatier (UPS) Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pech
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital & Harvard Medical School Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bui
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Douglas Mental Health University Institute and McGill University Montréal, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brunet
authors.affiliation: Toulouse NeuroImaging Center, Université de Toulouse, Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM), Université Paul Sabatier (UPS) Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Birmes
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale, Centre de Biologie Intégrative, Université de Toulouse, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paul Sabatier (UPS) Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roullet
keywords: PTSD; aversive memory; consolidation; emotional valence; noradrenergic system; propranolol; reconsolidation