Hippocampal noradrenergic activation is necessary for object recognition memory consolidation and can promote BDNF increase and memory persistence

Pâmela B Mello-Carpes; Liane da Silva de Vargas; Mateus Cristofari Gayer; Rafael Roehrs; Ivan Izquierdo

doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2015.11.014

Hippocampal noradrenergic activation is necessary for object recognition memory consolidation and can promote BDNF increase and memory persistence

Neurobiol Learn Mem. 2016 Jan:127:84-92. doi: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.11.014. Epub 2015 Dec 10.

Authors

Pâmela B Mello-Carpes¹, Liane da Silva de Vargas¹, Mateus Cristofari Gayer², Rafael Roehrs², Ivan Izquierdo³

Affiliations

¹ Physiology Research Group, Federal University of Pampa, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil.
² Grupo Interdisciplinar de Pesquisa em Prática de Ensino, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Uruguaiana, RS, Brazil.
³ Centro de Memória, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Neurociência Translacional/CNPq, Brazil. Electronic address: izquier@terra.com.br.

PMID: 26691781
DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2015.11.014

Abstract

Previously we showed that activation of the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract (NTS)-Nucleus Paragigantocellularis (PGi)-Locus coeruleus (LC) pathway, which theoretically culminates with norepinephrine (NE) release in dorsal hippocampus (CA1 region) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) is necessary for the consolidation of object recognition (OR) memory. Here we show that, while the microinjection of the beta-noradrenergic receptor blocker timolol into CA1 impairs OR memory consolidation, the microinjection of norepinephrine (NE) promotes the persistence of this type of memory. Further, we show that OR consolidation is attended by an increase of norepinephrine (NE) levels and of the expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in hippocampus, which are impaired by inactivation of the NTS-PGi-LC pathway by the infusion of muscimol into the NTS.

Keywords: BDNF; Memory persistence; Norepinephrine; Nucleus of the Solitary Tract.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / administration & dosage
Animals
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / metabolism*
Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / administration & dosage
Exploratory Behavior / drug effects
Exploratory Behavior / physiology
GABA-A Receptor Agonists / administration & dosage
Hippocampus / drug effects
Hippocampus / metabolism
Hippocampus / physiology*
Locus Coeruleus / drug effects
Locus Coeruleus / physiology
Male
Memory Consolidation / drug effects
Memory Consolidation / physiology*
Muscimol / administration & dosage
N-Methylaspartate / administration & dosage
Norepinephrine / administration & dosage
Norepinephrine / physiology*
Rats, Wistar
Recognition, Psychology / drug effects
Recognition, Psychology / physiology*
Solitary Nucleus / drug effects
Solitary Nucleus / physiology
Timolol / administration & dosage

Substances

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
GABA-A Receptor Agonists
Muscimol
N-Methylaspartate
Timolol
Norepinephrine