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Neonatal serotonin (5-HT) depletion does not affect spatial learning and memory in rats.
- Source :
-
Pharmacological reports : PR [Pharmacol Rep] 2012; Vol. 64 (2), pp. 266-74. - Publication Year :
- 2012
-
Abstract
- Background: Extensive previous research has suggested a role for serotonin (5-HT) in learning and memory processes, both in healthy individuals and pathological disorders including depression, autism and schizophrenia, most of which have a developmental onset. Since 5-HT dysfunction in brain development may be involved in disease etiology, the present investigation assessed the effects of neonatal 5-HT depletion on spatial learning and memory in the Morris water maze (MWM).<br />Methods: Three days old Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with desipramine (20 mg/kg) followed by an intraventricular injection of the selective 5-HT neurotoxin 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT, 70 μg). Three months later rats were tested in the MWM.<br />Results: Despite a severe and permanent decrease (80-98%) in hippocampal, prefrontal and striatal 5-HT levels, treatment with 5,7-DHT caused no spatial learning and memory impairment.<br />Conclusions: Limited involvement of chronic 5-HT depletion on learning and memory does not exclude the possibility that this neurotransmitter has an important neuromodulatory role in these functions. Future studies will be needed to identify the nature of the compensatory processes that are able to allow normal proficiency of spatial learning and memory in 5-HT-depleted rats.
- Subjects :
- 5,6-Dihydroxytryptamine analogs & derivatives
5,6-Dihydroxytryptamine toxicity
Analysis of Variance
Animals
Animals, Newborn
Biogenic Monoamines metabolism
Brain drug effects
Brain growth & development
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
Corpus Striatum drug effects
Corpus Striatum growth & development
Corpus Striatum metabolism
Creatinine analogs & derivatives
Creatinine toxicity
Desipramine pharmacology
Hippocampus drug effects
Hippocampus growth & development
Hippocampus metabolism
Male
Maze Learning drug effects
Memory drug effects
Prefrontal Cortex drug effects
Prefrontal Cortex growth & development
Prefrontal Cortex metabolism
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Serotonin Antagonists toxicity
Spatial Behavior drug effects
Swimming
Brain metabolism
Maze Learning physiology
Memory physiology
Serotonin metabolism
Spatial Behavior physiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 2299-5684
- Volume :
- 64
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Pharmacological reports : PR
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 22661175
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1016/s1734-1140(12)70764-8