Dorsal hippocampal dopamine receptors are involved in mediating ethanol state-dependent memory

In the present study, the effects of bilateral injections of dopaminergic agents into the hippocampal CA1 regions (intra-CA1) on ethanol (EtOH) state-dependent memory were examined in mice. A single-trial step-down passive avoidance task was used for the assessment of memory retention in adult male NMRI mice. Pre-training intra-peritoneal (i.p.) administration of EtOH (0.25, 0.5 and 1 g/kg) dose dependently induced impairment of memory retention. Pre-test administration of EtOH (0.5 g/kg)-induced state-dependent retrieval of the memory acquired under pre-training EtOH (0.5 g/kg) influence. Intra-CA1 administration of the dopamine D1 receptor agonist, SKF 38393 (0.5, 1 and 2 g/mouse) or the dopamine D2 receptor agonist, quinpirole (0.25, 0.5 and 1 μg/mouse) alone cannot affect memory retention. While, pre-test intra-CA1 injection of SKF 38393 (2 μg/mouse, intra-CA1) or quinpirole (0.25, 0.5 and 1 μg/mouse, intra-CA1) improved pre-training EtOH (0.5 g/kg)-induced retrieval impairment. Moreover, pre-test administration of SKF 38393 (0.5, 1 and 2 μg/mouse, intra-CA1) or quinpirole (0.5 and 1 μg/mouse, intra-CA1) with an ineffective dose of EtOH (0.25 g/kg) significantly restored the retrieval and induced EtOH state-dependent memory. Furthermore, pre-training injection of the dopamine D1 receptor antagonist, SCH 23390 (4 μg/mouse), but not the dopamine D2 receptor antagonist, sulpiride, into the CA1 regions suppressed the learning of a single-trial passive avoidance task. Pre-test intra-CA1 injection of SCH 23390 (2 and 4 μg/mouse, intra-CA1) or sulpiride (2.5 and 5 μg/mouse, intra-CA1) 5 min before the administration of EtOH (0.5 g/kg, i.p.) dose dependently inhibited EtOH state-dependent memory. These findings implicate the involvement of a dorsal hippocampal dopaminergic mechanism in EtOH state-dependent memory and also it can be concluded that there may be a cross-state dependency between EtOH and dopamine. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Selective Cholinergic Depletion in Medial Septum Leads to Impaired Long Term Potentiation and Glutamatergic Synaptic Currents in the Hippocampus

Cholinergic depletion in the medial septum (MS) is associated with impaired hippocampal-dependent learning and memory. Here we investigated whether long term potentiation (LTP) and synaptic currents, mediated by alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the CA1 hippocampal region, are affected following cholinergic lesions of the MS. Stereotaxic intra-medioseptal infusions of a selective immunotoxin, 192-saporin, against cholinergic neurons or sterile saline were made in adult rats. Four days after infusions, hippocampal slices were made and LTP, whole cell, and single channel (AMPA or NMDA receptor) currents were recorded. Results demonstrated impairment in the induction and expression of LTP in lesioned rats. Lesioned rats also showed decreases in synaptic currents from CA1 pyramidal cells and synaptosomal single channels of AMPA and NMDA receptors. Our results suggest that MS cholinergic afferents modulate LTP and glutamatergic currents in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, providing a potential synaptic mechanism for the learning and memory deficits observed in the rodent model of selective MS cholinergic lesioning

Involvement of central amygdala NMDA receptor mechanism in morphine state-dependent memory retrieval

In the current study, the effects of intra-central amygdala (CeA) administration of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and its competitive antagonist, d-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (D-AP5), on morphine state-dependent memory retrieval were investigated. Post-training subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of different doses of morphine (0.5, 2.5, 5 and 7.5. mg/kg) dose-dependently impaired memory. The response induced by post-training morphine (7.5. mg/kg) was reversed by pre-test administration of this drug (5 and 7.5. mg/kg), indicating morphine state-dependent memory retrieval. Pre-test intra-CeA administration of NMDA (0.01 and 0.05μg/rat) plus an ineffective dose of morphine (0.5. mg/kg, s.c.) restored memory impairment caused by post-training morphine (7.5. mg/kg). However, pre-test intra-CeA administration of NMDA (0.005-0.05μg/rat), alone, was ineffective on post-training morphine-induced amnesia. Furthermore, pre-test intra-CeA administration of the same doses of NMDA had no effect on memory retrieval. Pre-test intra-CeA administration of D-AP5 (0.1-1.0μg/rat) decreased morphine state-dependent memory retrieval. However, pre-test administration of D-AP5 (0.1-1μg/rat) alone decreased memory retrieval, but restored post-training morphine-induced amnesia. In conclusion, our results suggest which CeA may be potentially critical for morphine state-dependent memory retrieval and that CeA NMDA receptor mechanism(s) interact with the opiodergic system in the modulation of morphine state-dependent memory retrieval. © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society

Activation of dopamine D1 receptors in the medial septum improves scopolamine-induced amnesia in the dorsal hippocampus

In the present study, we investigated the influence of intra-medial septum (intra-MS) injections of dopamine D1 receptor agents on amnesia induced by intra-CA1 injections of a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, scopolamine. This study used a step-through inhibitory (passive) avoidance task to assess memory in adult male Wistar rats. The results showed that in the animals that received post-training intra-MS injections of saline, intra-CA1 administrations of scopolamine (0.75, 1, and 2μg/rat) decreased inhibitory avoidance (IA) memory consolidation as evidenced by a decrease in step-through latency on the test day, which was suggestive of drug-induced amnesia. Post-training intra-MS injections of a dopamine D1 receptor agonist, SKF38393 at doses of 0.1, 0.15, and 0.3μg/rat had no effect, but at dose of 0.5μg/rat impaired IA memory consolidation. Interestingly, intra-MS injections of SKF38393 (0.15, 0.3 and 0.5μg/rat) significantly prevented amnesia induced by intra-CA1 injections of scopolamine (1μg/rat). Intra-MS injections of a dopamine D1 receptor antagonist, SCH23390 (0.5 and 0.75μg/rat) by itself impaired IA memory consolidation, and also at dose of 0.75μg/rat increased amnesia induced by intra-CA1 administrations of an ineffective dose of scopolamine (0.5μg/rat). Post-training intra-MS injections of ineffective doses of SCH23390 (0.1, 0.3 and 0.5μg/rat) prevented an effective dose of SKF38393 response to the impaired effect of scopolamine. These results suggest that dopamine D1 receptors in the MS via projection neurons to the hippocampus affect impairment of memory consolidation induced by intra-CA injections of scopolamine. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.