Effects of the potential 5-HT7 receptor agonist AS 19 in an autoshaping learning task

• Published in: Behavioural brain research Vol. 163; no. 1; pp. 136 - 140
• Main Authors: PEREZ-GARCIA, Georgina S, MENESES, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Science 30.08.2005
• Subjects: Animal; Animals; Association Learning - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Conditioning, Classical - drug effects; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Learning; Learning. Memory; Male; Memory - drug effects; Phenols - pharmacology; Piperazines - pharmacology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Pyrazoles - pharmacology; Pyridines - pharmacology; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Receptors, Serotonin - drug effects; Serotonin Receptor Agonists - pharmacology; Sulfonamides - pharmacology; Tetrahydronaphthalenes - pharmacology; Agonist; Rat; Memory; Rodentia; 5-HT7 serotonin receptor; Serotonine receptor; 5-HT receptors; Learning; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Acquisition process; Animal; Autoshaping
• ISSN: 0166-4328
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2005.04.014

This work aimed to evaluate further the role of 5-HT7 receptors during memory formation in an autoshaping Pavlovian/instrumental learning task. Post-training administration of the potential 5-HT7 receptor agonist AS 19 or antagonist SB-269970 enhanced memory formation or had no effect, respectively. The AS 19 facilitatory effect was reversed by SB-269970, but not by the selective 5-HT1A antagonist WAY100635. Amnesia induced by scopolamine (cholinergic antagonist) or dizocilpine (NMDA antagonist) was also reversed by AS 19. Certainly, reservations regarding the selectivity of AS 19 for 5-HT7 and other 5-HT receptors in vivo are noteworthy and, therefore, its validity for use in animal models as a pharmacological tool. Having mentioned that, it should be noticed that together these data are providing further support to the notion of the 5-HT7 receptors role in memory formation. Importantly, this 5-HT7 receptor agonist AS 19 appears to represent a step forward respect to the notion that potent and selective 5-HT7 receptor agonists can be useful in the treatment of dysfunctional memory in aged-related decline and Alzheimer's disease.