Hypotensive stress retards associative learning in rabbits

Associative learning is enhanced by selective neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitors and retarded by a nitric oxide donor in the rabbit

“…Acquisition of the conditioned NM response has been demonstrated to provide an excellent model for separating learning from performance variables (Harvey and Welsh 1996) and is acknowledged to provide an unambiguous measure of associative learning (Harvey 1987). We found that systemic (IV) administration of the NO donor SNP retarded (Du et al 1995) and IP injection of the NOS inhibitor L-NAME enhanced (Du and Harvey 1996) the acquisition of CRs. These alterations in learning occurred in the absence of any effects on performance variables or non-associative processes (Du et al 1995;Du and Harvey 1996).…”

“…We found that systemic (IV) administration of the NO donor SNP retarded (Du et al 1995) and IP injection of the NOS inhibitor L-NAME enhanced (Du and Harvey 1996) the acquisition of CRs. These alterations in learning occurred in the absence of any effects on performance variables or non-associative processes (Du et al 1995;Du and Harvey 1996). The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the effects of L-NAME and SNP were due to their direct central effects on brain NO.…”