title: Fear memory in a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia based on the postnatal blockade of NMDA receptors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidemiological data have indicated that memory impairment is observed during adolescence in groups at high risk for schizophrenia and might precede the appearance of schizophrenia symptoms in adulthood.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, we used a neurodevelopmental model of schizophrenia based on the postnatal blockade of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in rats to investigate fear memory in adolescence and adulthood. The rats were treated with increasing doses of CGP 37849 (CGP), a competitive antagonist of the NMDA receptor (1.25mg/kg on days 1, 3, 6, 9; 2.5mg/kg on days 12, 15, 18 and 5mg/kg on day 21). Fear memory was analysed in delay and trace fear conditioning. Sensorimotor gating deficit, which is another cognitive symptom of schizophrenia, was also determined in adolescent and adult CGP-treated rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postnatal CGP administration disrupted cue- and context-dependent fear memory in adolescent rats in both delay and trace conditioning. In contrast, CGP administration evoked impairment only in cue-dependent fear memory in rats exposed to trace but not delay fear conditioning. The postnatal blockade of NMDA receptors induced sensorimotor gating deficits in adult rats but not in adolescent rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The postnatal blockade of NMDA receptors induced fear memory impairment in adolescent rats before the onset of neurobehavioral deficits associated with schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Biostructure, 31-343 Kraków, Smętna Sreet 12, Poland.
authors.forename: Joachim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Latusz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Biostructure, 31-343 Kraków, Smętna Sreet 12, Poland.
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Radaszkiewicz
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Biostructure, 31-343 Kraków, Smętna Sreet 12, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewelina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bator
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Biostructure, 31-343 Kraków, Smętna Sreet 12, Poland.
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wędzony
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Pharmacology and Brain Biostructure, 31-343 Kraków, Smętna Sreet 12, Poland. Electronic address: mackow@if-pan.krakow.pl.
authors.forename: Marzena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maćkowiak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D065808:Prepulse Inhibition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000502:physiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
keywords: Adolescence; Adulthood; Emotional memory; Schizophrenia