Research article summary (published 30 Aug 1988):

Low and high doses of benzodiazepine receptor inverse agonists respectively improve and impair performance in passive avoidance but do not affect habituation.

Full Abstract

The benzodiazepine receptor inverse agonists, methyl 6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM) and N-methyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxamide (FG 7142), were given to rats at various stages of a passive avoidance task. When the drugs were given before trial 1, low doses enhanced, and high doses impaired, performance as assessed 24 h later. A group given drugs on both trials showed that the impairment was not due to state-dependent effects. When the drugs were given immediately after trial 1, or before trial 2, they were without effect, except for the low dose of DMCM which impaired consolidation. It is discussed whether the changes in passive avoidance performance are due to direct or indirect effects. Between-trial habituation of exploratory head-dipping was measured in a holeboard. When FG 7142 was given before trial 1, the high dose impaired between-trial response decrement; but this was because it decreased the level of head-dipping on trial 1. When FG 7142 was given immediately after trial 1, or before trial 2, it was without effect on between-trial habituation.

Author information

Author/s: File, S E (SE); Pellow, S (S);

Affiliation: MRC Neuropharmacology Research Group School of Pharmacy, University of London, U.K.

Grants: (Agency:Wellcome Trust)

Journal and publication information

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

Journal: Behavioural brain research (Behav Brain Res), published in NETHERLANDS. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1988-Sep; vol 30 (issue 1) : pp 31-6

Dates: Created 1988/11/07; Completed 1988/11/07; Revised 2009/09/29;

PMID: 2844205, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 9/29/2009, 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 Avoidance Learning - drug effects Brain - drug effects Carbolines - pharmacology Dose-Response Relationship, Drug

Male Rats Rats, Inbred Strains Receptors, GABA-A - drug effects Retention (Psychology) - drug effects

Associated Chemicals: Carbolines (0) ; Receptors, GABA-A (0) ; FG 7142 (78538-74-6) ; methyl 6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (82499-00-1)

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