Effects of bilateral reversible inactivation of Accumbens Nucleus on acquisition and consolidation of memory in rats

Abstract

Extensive evidence indicates that the Accumbens Nucleus (AN) probably involved in emotional memory. The present work investigated possible of AN involvement on acquisition and consolidation memory in passive avoidance learning (PAL) task. This is experimental research and during that Albino male Wistar rats (n=80) were surgically implanted bilaterally with cannulae aimed at the AN were trained to PAL task. They received one trial PAL (1 ma 1.5 s) footshock. Retention was tested 2 days after training. Lidocaine 2% (0.6 µl/side ) 20 min before of training for assessment of acquisition and Tetrodotoxine (5ng/0.6ml/side) immediately, 60 and 120 min after training for assessment of consolidation were used to temporarily inactivate the AN. Control rats were injected with the same volume of saline. The data indicate that bilateral inactivation of AN immediately and 60 min after training significantly impaired consolidation of memory (P0.05). These results suggest that AN make contribution and involvement of long term memory and may be more important to the consolidation (time dependent) of memory for the PAL.

Keywords

• accumbens nucleus
• tetrodotoxin
• learning
• memory