Memory access pathway: Role of adrenergic versus cholinergic neurons

Modulation of Learning and Memory: Effects of Drugs Influencing Neurotransmitters

“…In a passive-avoidance task, both DDC (Hamburg and Cohen, 1973) and propranolol (Cohen and Hamburg, 1975) disrupted retention test performance regardless of the training-retest interval. These results stand in contrast to those observed following administration of ACh agonists using an identical paradigm (Hamburg and Fulton, 1972).…”

“…DDC administered up to 3 hr prior to training also disrupted passiveavoidance retention in rats. Hamburg and Cohen (1973) reported that administration of DDC prior to retention testing did not ameliorate the retention deficit produced by DDC administered prior to training. This finding suggests that the effects of DDC are not the result of state dependence, but rather are due to a disruption of acquisitional processes.…”

The Role of Catecholamines in Memory Processing,,

“…These data suggest that two types of amnesia can be induced by inhibition of DBH; a transient amnesia, which spontaneously recovers 48-72 hours follow ing training Freedman et al, 1979;Quartermain & Botwinick, 1975a), and amnesias that are durable for up to 1 week and longer (Hamburg & Cohen, 1973;Haycock, Van Buskirk, & McGaugh, 1977;Quinton & Bloom, 1977). Both types of amnesias can be alleviated by pretesting admin istration of adrenergic stimulants.…”

“…The first demonstration that depletion of NE may impair memory was a study by Krantz and Seiden (1968). A number of studies using single trial inhibitory tasks have confirmed the Randt et al (1971) finding that DEDTC can induce amnesia when administered before or shortly after training (e.g., Hamburg & Cohen, 1973;Haycock, Van Buskirk, & McGaugh, 1977;Stein, et al, 1975). Following this they were given an additional 20 "overtraining" trials, and 24 hours later they were injected with different doses of the DBH inhibitor DEDTC.…”

“…In this study rats were trained in a one-way avoidance task until they had achieved a criterion of 90% avoidance. Hamburg and Cohen (1973) showed that rats tested 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours after training all showed retention deficits when DEDTC was administered 30 minutes prior to testing. Retention was tested 6, 24, and 48 hours following drug treatment.…”