Skip to main content
Log in

Memory deficits induced byγ-l-glutamyl-l-aspartate andd-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate in a Y-maze avoidance task: relationship to NMDA receptor antagonism

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

Abstract

Post-training administration (ICV) ofγ-l-glutamyl-l-aspartate (γ-lGLA) ord-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (d-AP5), a competitive NMDA antagonist, decreased retention of the temporal component but not the spatial discrimination component of a Y-maze active avoidance task. Inverted U-shaped dose-response curves were obtained for the ability ofγ-lGLA andd-AP5 to decrease retention, with maximum effects occurring at doses of 2–20 nmol/mouse forγ-lGLA and 0.02 nmol/mouse ford-AP5.γ-lGLA andd-AP5 impaired the traction reflex only at doses (80 and 2 nmol/mouse, respectively) higher than those producing retention deficits. Convulsions induced by ICV administration of 1 nmol NMDA were antagonized byγ-lGLA andd-AP5 with ED50 values of 46 (32–66) and 0.2 (0.16–0.25) nmol/mouse, respectively. The dose-effect curve of NMDA for producing convulsions was shifted to the right in a parallel manner and to the same extent by 80 nmolγ-lGLA and by 0.3 nmold-AP5. Taken together, these results are consistent with previous studies suggesting that the behavioral effects ofγ-lGLA might be related to its NMDA receptor antagonist properties. The selectivity of the memory deficits induced byγ-lGLA andd-AP5 is in agreement with recent reports suggesting a role for NMDA receptors in the mechanisms underlying posttraining organization of memory traces.

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

  • Bennett DA, Bernard PS, Amrick CL, Wilson DE, Hutchison AJ (1987) The behavioral pharmacological profile of an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist, CGS 19755. Soc Neurosci Abstr 13:1561

    Google Scholar 

  • Bliss TVP, Lómo T (1973) Long-lasting potentiation of synaptic transmission in the dentate area of the anesthetized rabbit following stimulation of the perforant path. J Physiol (Lond) 232:331–356

    Google Scholar 

  • Cline HT, Debski EA, Constantine-Paton M (1987) N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist desegregates eye-specific stripes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 84:4342–4345

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Danysz W, Wroblewski JT, Costa E (1988) Learning impairment in rats by N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists. Neuropharmacology 27:653–656

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • DeNoble VJ, Jones KW, Schaeffer CL, Bauerle LM (1990) 3-((±)-2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP) and phencyclidine produce a deficit of passive avoidance retention in rats. Eur J Pharmacol 175:197–202

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harris EW, Ganong AH, Cotman CW (1984) Long-term potentiation in the hippocampus involves activation of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors. Brain Res 323:132–137

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jaffard R, Destrade C, Soumireu-Mourat B, Cardo B (1974) Time-dependent improvement of performance on appetitive tasks in mice. Behav Biol 11:89–100

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson JW, Ascher P (1987) Glycine potentiates the NMDA response in cultured mouse brain neurons. Nature 325:529–531

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kamin LJ (1957) The retention of an incompletely learned avoidance response. J Comp Physiol Psychol 50:457–460

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klein SB, Spear NE (1969) Influence of age on short-term retention of active-avoidance learning in rats. J Comp Physiol Psychol 69:583–589

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kleinschmidt A, Bear MF, Singer W (1987) Blockade of “NMDA” receptors disrupts experience-dependent plasticity of kitten striate cortex. Science 238:355–358

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Koek W, Colpaert FC (1990) Selective blockade of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-induced convulsions by NMDA antagonists and putative glycine antagonists: relationship with phencyclidine-like behavioral effects. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 252:349–357

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lehmann J, Schneider J, McPherson S, Murphy DE, Bernard P, Tsai C, Bennett DA, Pastor G, Steel DJ, Boehm C, Cheney DL, Liebman JM, Williams M, Wood PL (1987) CPP, a selective N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA)-type receptor antagonist: Characterization in vitro and in vivo. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 240:737–746

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lehmann J, Hutchison AJ, McPherson SE, Mondadori C, Schmutz M, Sinton CM, Tsai C, Murphy DE, Steel DJ, Williams M, Cheney DL, Wood PL (1988) CGS 19755, a selective and competitive N-methyl-d-aspartate-type excitatory amino acid receptor antagonist. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 246:65–75

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liebman JM, Amrick CL, Bernard PS, Pastor G, Boast CA, Bennett DA (1987) Distinctive behaviors induced in rodents by high doses of 2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid. In: Hicks TP, Lodge D, McLennan H (eds) Excitatory amino acid transmission. Liss, New York, pp 261–264

    Google Scholar 

  • Litchfield JT, Wilcoxon F (1949) A simplified method of evaluating dose-effect experiments. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 96:99–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Lynch G, Muller D, Seubert P, Larson J (1988) Long-term potentiation: persisting problems and recent results. Brain Res Bull 21:363–372

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mathis C, De Barry J, Ungerer A (1990) NMDA antagonist properties ofγ-l-glutamyl-l-aspartate demonstrated on chemically induced seizures in mice. Eur J Pharmacol 185:53–59

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miserendino MJD, Sananes CB, Melia KR, Davis M (1990) Blocking of acquisition but not expression of conditioned fear-potentiated startle by NMDA antagonists in the amygdala. Nature 345:716–718

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morris RGM (1989) Synaptic plasticity and learning: selective impairment of learning in rats and blockade of long-term potentiation in vivo by the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist AP5. J Neurosci 9:3040–3057

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morris RGM, Anderson E, Lynch GS, Baudry M (1986) Selective impairment of learning and blockade of long-term potentiation by an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist, AP5. Nature 319:774–776

    Google Scholar 

  • Nowak L, Bregestovski P, Ascher P, Herbet A, Prochiantz A (1984) Magnesium gates glutamate-activated channels in mouse central neurones. Nature 307:462–465

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Neill KA, Liebman JM (1987) Unique behavioral effects of the NMDA antagonist, CPP, upon injection into the medial prefrontal cortex of rats. Brain Res 435:371–376

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Staubli U, Thibault O, DiLorenzo M, Lynch G (1989) Antagonism of NMDA receptors impairs acquisition but not retention of olfactory memory. Behav Neurosci 103:54–60

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Turski L, Schwarz M, Turski WA, Klockgether T, Sontag K-H, Collins JF (1985) Muscle relaxant action of excitatory amino acid antagonists. Neurosci Lett 53:321–326

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Turski L, Meldrum BS, Cavalhiero EA, Calderazzo-Filho LS, Bortolotto ZA, Ikonomidou-Turski C, Turski WA (1987) Paradoxical anticonvulsant activity of the excitatory amino acid N-methyl-d-aspartate in the rat caudate-putamen. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 84:1689–1693

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ungerer A, Schmitz-Bourgeois M, Mélan C, Boulanger Y, Reinbolt J, Amiri I, De Barry J (1988)γ-l-glutamyl-l-aspartate induces specific deficits in long-term memory and inhibits [3H]glutamate binding on hippocampal membranes. Brain Res 446:205–211

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ungerer A, Mathis C, Mélan C, De Barry J (1990) Rôle des acides aminés neuroexcitateurs dans les phénomènes de mémoire: étude à partir de l'acideγ-l-glutamyl-l-aspartique. Encéphale 16:423–429

    Google Scholar 

  • Ungerer A, Mathis C, Mélan C, De Barry J (1991) The NMDA receptor antagonists, CPP andγ-l-glutamyl-l-aspartate, selectively block posttraining improvement of performance in a Y-maze avoidance learning task. Brain Res 549:59–65

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Watkins JC, Krogsgaard-Larsen P, Honoré T (1990) Structure-activity relationships in the development of excitatory amino acid receptor agonists and competitive antagonists. TIPS 11:25–33

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Willetts J, Balster RL (1989) Effects of competitive and noncompetitive N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists in rats trained to discriminate NMDA from saline. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 251:627–633

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mathis, C., de Barry, J. & Ungerer, A. Memory deficits induced byγ-l-glutamyl-l-aspartate andd-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate in a Y-maze avoidance task: relationship to NMDA receptor antagonism. Psychopharmacology 105, 546–552 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02244378

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02244378

Key words

Navigation