GABAA receptor modulates memory acquisition, consolidation, and retrieval. The aim of this study is to confirm the effect of GABAA drugs and to identify the mechanism of these effects of GABAA drugs on memory consolidation and retrieval.
First, we cla...
GABAA receptor modulates memory acquisition, consolidation, and retrieval. The aim of this study is to confirm the effect of GABAA drugs and to identify the mechanism of these effects of GABAA drugs on memory consolidation and retrieval.
First, we clarified the contribution of hippocampal mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (mBDNF) level at restricted time point induced by GABAA receptor blockade on the enhancement of memory consolidation. With the administration of acquisition trial in na?ve mice using the passive avoidance task, the mBDNF levels were temporally changed in the hippocampal CA1 region and the lowest levels were observed 9 h after acquisition trial. Bicuculline significantly increased latency time in the one-trial passive avoidance task until 1 h post-training administration. Concomitantly, mBDNF level was significantly increased 9 h after bicuculline administration in na?ve mice. Although mBDNF level was increased 12 h after acquisition trial with 3 h post-training administration of bicuculline, facilitation of memory consolidation did not exhibited. This means that the increase of mBDNF level at restricted time after GABAA receptor blockade is required for the enhancement of memory consolidation. In addition, exogenous BDNF administration into hippocampal CA1 region and anisomycin-induced inhibition of protein synthesis confirmed that the increase of mBDNF level around 9 h after acquisition trial with GABAA receptor blockade plays a key role in the enhancement of memory consolidation.
Second, to test the effects of modulation of GABAA receptor on memory retrieval and the co-involvements of signaling molecules, such as, ERK, CaMKII, and CREB in the hippocampus, we conducted one-trial passive avoidance and novel object recognition tasks with pre-retention trial drug administration. In a pilot study, we observed that ERK phosphorylation was required for memory retrieval during the task. Accordingly, to investigate whether GABAA receptor activation or inhibition induces ERK phosphorylation during memory retrieval, GABAA receptor targeting drugs were treated 15 min prior to retention trial of passive avoidance task and test session of novel object recognition task. Diazepam and muscimol, GABAA receptor agonists, blocked retrieval-induced ERK phosphorylation, and also impaired memory retrieval. Furthermore, co-treatment with sub-effective doses of muscimol and U0126 (a MEK inhibitor), or diazepam and U0126 blocked upregulation of pERK expression by the retrieval and impaired memory retrieval. In addition, bicuculline (a GABAA receptor antagonist) increased the ERK phosphorylation induced by memory retrieval and facilitated memory retrieval. Moreover, these effects of bicuculline were blocked when it was co-treated with subeffective dose of U0126. Taken together, this study suggests that GABAA receptor-induced memory retrieval is closely related with hippocampal ERK phosphorylation.