Age-specific effects of early MK-801 treatment on working memory in female rats

Neuroreport. 2011 Jun 11;22(8):402-6. doi: 10.1097/WNR.0b013e328346e154.

Abstract

The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor plays a crucial role in developmental plasticity. Evidence shows that neonatal exposure to N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists impairs cognition in adult rats. This study investigated whether neonatal MK-801 treatment would produce long-term and age-specific effects on working memory and sensorimotor gating in adolescent and adult female rats. After treatment with MK-801 at postnatal days (PND) 5-14, female rats exhibited slightly impaired working memory during adolescence (PND: 35-42). In contrast, working memory was remarkably disrupted in adult (PND: 63-70) female rats. However, prepulse inhibition and startle amplitudes were not significantly affected at both ages. These findings indicate that neonatal MK-801 elicits working memory deficits, especially in the postpuberty female rats.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Brain / drug effects*
  • Dizocilpine Maleate / pharmacology*
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Maze Learning / drug effects
  • Memory, Short-Term / drug effects*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Reflex, Startle / drug effects

Substances

  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • Dizocilpine Maleate