The acquisition of a behavioural response (learning) and the later retrieval of this response (memory) are separated by an endogenous biological process which consolidates the temporary neural changes initiated by training. Intracerebral infusions of stimulants to the hippocampus potentiate this process and infusions of protein synthesis inhibitors (PSIs) impair it. A tacit assumption regarding the application of PSIs is that they have no effect upon spontaneous brain electrical activity; however, given their documented non-specific side effects, this idea was re-evaluated under controlled conditions. Hippocampal recordings were made in urethane anaesthetized rats before and after unilateral hippocampal infusions of the PSIs anisomycin and cycloheximide. Infusions suppressed local field potentials, eliminated sink/source alternations and silenced multiunit activity without affecting the contralateral hippocampus. This suppression was correlated with the degree of protein synthesis inhibition. These results present a serious confound for all results obtained using anisomycin and cycloheximide to test memory consolidation.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:AEU.10048/1528 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Sharma, Arjun V |
| Contributors | Dickson, Clayton T (Psychology, Physiology, Centre for Neuroscience), Caplan, Jeremy B (Psychology, Centre for Neuroscience), Spetch, Marcia (Psychology), Ali, Declan (Biological Sciences, Centre for Neuroscience) |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 2707725 bytes, application/pdf |
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