Skip to main content
Log in

The effects of chlorpromazine on the decay and consolidation of short-term memory traces in mice

  • Original Investigations
  • Published:
Psychopharmacologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

F1 hybrids of two highly inbred strains of mice were trained in a one-trial passive avoidance learning situation. Chlorpromazine, in doses of 0.5, 2.0 and 3.5 mg/kg, was administered at one of four injections times, 10 min before and 0.5, 2 and 10 min after learning. Pre-learning drug administration completely blocked acquisition of a learned avoidance response. Post-learning drug effects were more complex, involving reduced expression of avoidance learning but less rapid extinction of the learned response. The results were related to effects of the drug on short-term memory trace decay and consolidation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abt, J. P., Essman, W. B., Jarvik, M. E.: Ether-induced retrograde amnesia for one-trial conditioning in mice. Science 133, 1477–1478 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ambrus, J. L., Ambrus, C. M., Bauer, R. O., Noell, W. K.: Attempts at the objective evaluation of ataraxis and analgesia in patients and experimental animals. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 119, 129–130 (1957).

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradley, P. B., Key, B. J.: The effect of drugs on arousal responses produced by electrical stimulation of the reticular formation of the brain. Electroenceph. clin. Neurophysiol. 10, 97–110 (1958).

    Google Scholar 

  • — —: A comparative study of the effects of drugs on the arousal system of the brain. Brit. J. Pharmacol. 14, 340–349 (1959).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook, L., Weidley, E. F.: Behavioural effects of some pharmacological agents. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 66, 740–752 (1957).

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooper, R. M., Krass, M.: Strychnine: duration of the effects on maze learning. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 4, 472–475 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  • Courvoisier, S., Fournel, J., Ducrot, R., Kolsky, M., Koetschet, P.: Pharmacodynamic properties of RP4560 (phenothiazine derivative): experimental study of a new agent used in potentiated anaesthesia and artificial hibernation. Arch. int. Pharmacodyn. 92, 305–361 (1953).

    Google Scholar 

  • Dews, P. B., Morse, W. H.: Behavioural pharmacology. Ann. Rev. Pharmacol. 1, 145–174 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • Doty, B. A., Doty, L. A.: Effect of age and chlorpromazine on memory consolidation. J. comp. physiol. Psychol. 57, 331–334 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  • Essman, W. B., Jarvik, M. E.: The retrograde effect of ether anaesthesia on a conditioned avoidance response in mice. Amer. Psychologist 15, 498 (1960).

    Google Scholar 

  • Garg, M., Holland, H. C.: Consolidation and maze learning: the effects of posttrial injections of a depressant drug (pentobarbital sodium). Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 12, 127–132 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, H. M., Witoslawski, J. J., Campbell, E. A.: Drug effects in Squirrel monkeys trained on a multiple schedule with a punishment contingency. Fed. Proc. 23, 104 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  • Herz, A.: Drugs and the conditioned avoidance response. Int. Rev. Neurobiol. 2, 229–277 (1960).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lerner, M. I.: Genetic homeostasis. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd 1954.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leukel, F. P.: A comparison of the effects of ECS and pentothal amnesia on acquisition of the maze habit. J. comp. physiol. Psychol. 50, 300–306 (1957).

    Google Scholar 

  • McLaren, A., Mitchie, D.: Variability of response in experimental animals. A comparison of the reaction of inbred F1 hybrid and random-bred mice to a narcotic drug. J. Genet. 54, 440–455 (1956).

    Google Scholar 

  • Pearlman, C. A., Sharpless, S. K., Jarvik, M. E.: Retrograde amnesia produced by anaesthetic and convulsant agents. J. comp. physiol. Psychol. 54, 109–112 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  • Ray, O. S., Bivens, L. W.: Chlorpromazine and amphetamine effects on three operant and on four discrete trial reinforcement schedules. Psychopharmarcologia (Berl.) 10, 32–43 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  • — —: Phenothiazine depression of approach and avoidance behaviour. Psychopharmacologia (Berl.) 10, 196–203 (1967).

    Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, M. H. T.: The effects of some drugs on memory in animals. Unpublished Ph. D. thesis, University of Birmingham 1965.

  • —, Darlington, D., Bradley, P. B.: The effect of chlorpromazine and D-lysergic acid diethylamide on one-trial passive avoidance. In: D. Bente and P.B. Bradley (Eds.). Neuropsychopharmacology, Vol.4, pp. 352–355. Amsterdam: Elsevier 1965.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R. P., Wagman, A. I., Wagman, W., Pfeiffer, C. C., Riopelle, A. J.: Effects of some tranquillising and depressant drugs on conditioned avoidance behaviour in monkeys. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther. 119, 317–323 (1957).

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinberg, H.: In a discussion following a symposium on comparisons of abnormal behavioural states induced by psychotropic drugs in animals and men. In: P. B. Bradley, P. Deniker, and C. Radouco-Thomas (Eds.). Neuropsychopharmacology, Vol. 1, pp. 148–151. Amsterdam: Elsevier 1959.

    Google Scholar 

  • Summerfield, A., Steinberg, H.: Using drugs to alter memory experimentally in man. In: P. B. Bradley, P. Deniker, and C. Radouco-Thomas (Eds.). Neuropsychopharmacology, Vol. 1, pp. 481–483. Amsterdam: Elsevier 1959.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Johnson, F.N. The effects of chlorpromazine on the decay and consolidation of short-term memory traces in mice. Psychopharmacologia 16, 105–114 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00403613

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00403613

Key-Words

Navigation