Abstract
The possible involvement of endogenous opioid peptides in the development of the facilitatory effect of adrenaline on memory has been investigated. For this purpose post-training administration of adrenaline and/or naloxone was carried out in rats tested in an inhibitory avoidance paradigm and subjected or not to pre-training (extensive familiarization with the training situation prior to the acquisition trial). Adrenaline injected subcutaneously in a dose of 500 μg/kg facilitated retention performance in rats both subjected or not to pre-training. Naloxone administered SC (400 μg/rat) did not influence retention behaviour in rats subjected or not to pre-training, nor did ICV (0.80 ng/rat) administration. Interestingly, the opiate antagonist when injected SC (400 μg/rat) prevented the facilitatory effect exerted by adrenaline in pretrained as well as in not pre-trained rats. However, ICV administration of naloxone (0.80 μg/rat) dit not influence the behavioral effects exerted by the bioamine. These data suggested a role of endogenous opioid peptides on the facilitatory effect of adrenaline on memory, possibly independent of novelty factors and thus of the brain β-endorphin system. In addition, our results point to the periphery as the most likely site for such interaction.
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Predoctoral fellow of the PFPI, Spain
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del Cerro, S., Borrell, J. Naloxone prevents the facilitatory effect upon retention induced by adrenaline administration in rats. Psychopharmacology 94, 227–231 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00176850
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00176850