The corticosteroid synthesis inhibitors metyrapone and aminoglutethimide impair long-term memory for a passive avoidance task in day-old chicks

摘要: Long-term memory for a passive avoidance task in day-old chicks has proved to depend upon an action of the adrenal steroid corticosterone through specific receptors brain region, intermediate medial hyperstriatum ventrale (IMHV), involved learning task. In this study, we questioned whether pretraining peripheral administration drugs described inhibit either basal levels - aminoglutethimide or treatment-induced stimulated secretion metyrapone might interfere with retention at 24 h post-training. The results showed dose-dependent effect inhibitors, highest doses tested both (10 and 50 mg/kg metyrapone, aminoglutethimide) being amnestic Additional experiments, which studied possible effects inhibitors on concomitant aspects (i.e., reactivity novelty, pecking pattern), show that did not affect general behavioural reactivity. present thus support idea training-induced release plays key role neurobiological processes determine establishment persistent aversively motivated response. addition, they point corticosteroid inhibitor as potential tools study interactions between hormones cognition-enhancing compounds