Enhancement and impairment of memory retrieval by a vasopressin metabolite: An interaction with the accessibility of the memory.

Abstract

A series of 3 experiments was conducted to determine the generalizability of the improved recall seen with pretest administration of vasopressin in aversively motivated tasks. The learning paradigm selected for this purpose assessed the transmission of a food preference between rats; retention intervals of 8, 10, and 14 days were used in the 3 experiments, respectively. Pretest subcutaneous injection of a vasopressin metabolite, AVP4-9, significantly improved recall under conditions in which memory was poor in vehicle-treated rats but significantly impaired memory at a time when good recall was evident in controls. These findings support the postulate that administration of vasopressin or its metabolites modulate memory retrieval processes and suggest that the nature of this effect depends on the degree of forgetting that has occurred.

Early maternal care predicts reliance on social learning about food in adult rats

“…We observed no significant interaction effects between oxytocin administration and maternal style on any measure. However, a vasopressin metabolite has been shown to increase or decrease retention of socially acquired food preferences dependent on the retention interval Strupp, Bunsey, Bertsche, Levitsky, & Kesler, 1990), while oxytocin has a U-shaped reaction curve (Klenerova, Krejci, Sida, Hlinak, & Hynie, 2009;Popik et al, 1992) and can attenuate or potentiate a range of processes depending on dosage. We used a dose established to improve retention in socially acquired flavored tea preferences in male rats (Popik & Van Ree, 1993).…”

“…We used a dose established to improve retention in socially acquired flavored tea preferences in male rats (Popik & Van Ree, 1993). However, a vasopressin metabolite has been shown to increase or decrease retention of socially acquired food preferences dependent on the retention interval Strupp, Bunsey, Bertsche, Levitsky, & Kesler, 1990), while oxytocin has a U-shaped reaction curve (Klenerova, Krejci, Sida, Hlinak, & Hynie, 2009;Popik et al, 1992) and can attenuate or potentiate a range of processes depending on dosage. Given that we did not vary dosage but used a single dose and retention interval, no conclusions can be drawn on the efficacy of oxytocin as a modifier of social learning.…”

Developmental exposure to vasopressin increases aggression in adult prairie voles

“…Although the AVP antagonist used in the aforementioned studies was administered directly into the intracerebral ventricles of adult animals, it was assumed in our study that peripheral injections of 0.05 ng of AVP antagonist would be suitable given the size of the neonates (1͞10 of adult size) and their altricial state. It is known that the blood-brain barrier in altricial species is not fully formed at birth (22) and there is mounting physiological and behavioral evidence (23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30) to suggest that AVP can pass and perhaps play a facilitatory role in the blood-brain barrier of neonatal and adult rats, respectively (31)(32)(33)(34). In our study, all of the pharmacological agents were injected intraperitoneally once per day by using a 30-gauge, 0.5-inch hypodermic needle affixed to a 100-l Hamilton syringe.…”

The Effects of Arginine Vasotocin on the Calling Behavior of Male Cricket Frogs in Changing Social Contexts

“…The behavioral significance of the neuropeptide arginine vasotocin (AVT) and its mammalian homologue, arginine vasopressin (AVP), has been investigated in many vertebrate taxa. AVT and AVP have been implicated in the control of many behaviors including aggression (reviewed in Ferris and Delville, 1994), pair bonding (Winslow et al, 1993;Insel et al, 1994;reviewed in Carter et al, 1995), learning and memory (reviewed in Bohus et al, 1993), and selective attention Strupp et al, 1990). In particular, AVT and AVP have been implicated in regulating male reproductive behavior and aggressive behavior in several taxa including rodents (Everts et al, 1997;Delville et al, 1996;Ferris et al, 1984), primates (Winslow and Insel, 1991), birds (Voorhuis et al, 1991;Viglietti-Panzica et al, 1992;Riters and Panksepp, 1997), and fish (Wilhelmi et al, 1955;Pickford and Strecker, 1977).…”