Research article summary (published 14 Feb 2005):

The cannabinoid antagonist SR141716A facilitates memory acquisition and consolidation in the mouse elevated T-maze.

Full Abstract

Delta9-THC and synthetic cannabinoids produce memory impairment in humans as well as in laboratory animals. The high concentration of cannabinoid CB1 receptors and the presence of endocannabinoids in the hippocampus suggest that a cannabinoid neurochemical system may play a role in learning and memory processes. Thus, the objective of the present work was to study the effect of the cannabinoid antagonist SR141716A (SR) on memory acquisition, consolidation and retrieval in a recently developed elevated T-maze (ETM) model of anxiety and memory. In addition, we investigated whether pre-training SR administration was capable of reversing scopolamine-induced memory impairment. Adult male mice were exposed to the closed arm as many times as necessary for the animals to reach the avoidance criterion of remaining in the closed arm for 300 s; they were then tested (exposed to the closed arm) 24 h and 7 days after the training. SR (0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg) was administered i.p. 20 min before the training, immediately after training or 20 min before the test in the mice. The elevated plus-maze (EPM) was used to investigate a possible influence of SR on locomotion and on the anxiety-related behavior. SR provoked memory improvement, which was observed when the drug was administered before (effect on memory acquisition/consolidation) or immediately after the training (effect on memory consolidation), but not when the drug was administered before the test (effect on memory retrieval). Also, SR administration reversed scopolamine-induced amnesia. These effects were observed in the absence of changes in locomotion or anxiety levels. Our results demonstrate that the blockade of cannabinoid receptors may improve memory acquisition and consolidation in the ETM model.

Author information

Author/s: Takahashi, Reinaldo Naoto (RN); Pamplona, Fabrício Alano (FA); Fernandes, Marcelo Soares (MS);

Affiliation: Departamento de Farmacologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Universitário Trindade, 88049-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil. takahashi(-atsign-)farmaco.ufsc.br

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Neuroscience letters (Neurosci Lett), published in Ireland. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2005-Jun; vol 380 (issue 3) : pp 270-5

Dates: Created 2005/05/02; Completed 2005/07/20; Revised 2007/10/17;

PMID: 15862900, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Animals Anxiety - chemically induced; drug therapy; physiopathology Drug Interactions - physiology Endocannabinoids - antagonists & inhibitors; metabolism Hippocampus - drug effects; metabolism Male Maze Learning - drug effects; physiology Memory - drug effects; physiology Memory Disorders - chemically induced; physiopathology; therapy Mice

Mice Motor Activity - drug effects; physiology Muscarinic Antagonists - pharmacology Neural Pathways - drug effects; metabolism Neurons - drug effects; metabolism Nootropic Agents - pharmacology Piperidines - pharmacology Pyrazoles - pharmacology Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 - antagonists & inhibitors; metabolism Scopolamine - antagonists & inhibitors

Associated Chemicals: Endocannabinoids (0) ; Muscarinic Antagonists (0) ; Nootropic Agents (0) ; Piperidines (0) ; Pyrazoles (0) ; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1 (0) ; rimonabant (158681-13-1) ; Scopolamine (51-34-3)

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