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. 2012;16(3):145-55.
doi: 10.6091/IBJ.1046.2012.

Effect of 3α-anderostanediol and indomethacin on acquisition, consolidation and retrieval stage of spatial memory in adult male rats

Somayeh Assadian Narenji  1 , Nasser Naghdi  2 , Shahrbano Oryan  1 , Kayhan Azadmanesh  3
Affiliations

Effect of 3α-anderostanediol and indomethacin on acquisition, consolidation and retrieval stage of spatial memory in adult male rats

Somayeh Assadian Narenji et al. Iran Biomed J. 2012.

Abstract

Background: Testosterone and its metabolites have important roles in learning and memory. The current study has conducted to assess the effect of pre-training, post-training and pre-probe trial intrahippocampal CA1 administration of 3α-anderostanediol (one of the metabolites of testosterone) and indomethacin (as 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzyme blocker) on acquisition, consolidation and retrieval in Morris water maze (MWM) task.

Methods: Adult male rats were bilaterally cannulated into CA1 region of hippocampus and then received 3α-diol (0.2, 1, 3 and 6 mug/0.5 mul/side), indomethacin (1.5, 3 and 6 mug/0.5 mul/side), indomethacin (3 mug/0.5 mul/side) + 3α-diol (1 mug/0.5 mul/side), 25-35 min before training, immediately after training and 25-35 min before probe trial in MWM task.

Results: Our results showed that injection of 3α-diol and indomethacin significantly increased the escape latency and traveled distance to find hidden platform in acquisition and consolidation stage, but did not have any effect on retrieval of spatial learning as compared with the control group.

Conclusion: It is concluded that intra-CA1 administration of 3α-diol and indomethacin could impair spatial learning and memory in acquisition and consolidation stage. Also, intrahippocampal injection of indomethacin + 3α-diol could not change spatial learning and memory impairment effect of indomethacin or 3α-diol in MWM task.

Keywords: Androgens; Spatial memory; Indomethacin; 3α-diol; GABAA receptor.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The effect of intra-CA1 administration of 3α-diol and DMSO on acquisition of spatial memory in MWM task. The columns represent the mean ± S.E.M. Average escape latency (A) and traveled distance (B) across all training days and time spent in target quadrant (C) in probe trial. *P<0.05 and **P<0.01 indicate significant difference vs. DMSO group.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
The effect of 3α-diol and DMSO on consolidation. The columns represent the mean ± S.E.M. Average escape latency (A) and traveled distance (B) across all training days and time spent in target quadrant (C) in probe trial. *P<0.05 indicates significant difference vs. DMSO group.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The effect of 3α-diol and DMSO on retrieval. The columns represent the mean ± S.E.M. Average escape latency (A) and traveled distance (B) across all training days and time spent in target quadrant (C) in probe trial.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
The effect of indomethacin and DMSO on acquisition. The columns represent the mean ± S.E.M. Average escape latency (A) and traveled distance (B) across all training days and time spent in target quadrant (C) in probe trial. *P<0.05 and **P<0.01 indicate significant difference vs. DMSO group.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
The effect of indomethacin and DMSO on consolidation. The columns represent the mean ± S.E.M. Average escape latency (A) and traveled distance (B) across all training days and time spent in the target quadrant (C) in probe trial. *P<0.05 and ** P<0.01 indicate significant difference vs. DMSO group.
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
The effect of indomethacin and DMSO on retrieval. The columns represent the mean ± S.E.M. Average escape latency (A) and traveled distance (B) across all training days and time spent in the target quadrant (C) in probe trial. *P<0.05 and ** P<0.01 indicate significant difference vs. DMSO group.
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
The effect of indomethacin + 3α-diol and DMSO + DMSO on acquisition and consolidation. The columns represent the mean ± S.E.M. Average escape latency (A) and time spent in the target quadrant (B) in acquisition and consolidation stage (D and E). One way ANOVA between indomethacin + 3α-diol, indomethacin and 3α-diol in acquisition and consolidation have been shown in the Figure (C and F, respectively). *P<0.05 indicates significant difference vs. DMSO group. Indo, indomethacin.
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