Cognition, Behavior, and Memory
Author: Marina Fátima Berisso | Email: marinaberisso@campus.fmed.uba.ar
Marina Fátima Berisso1°, Felipe Urrea1°, Jorge Medina1°2°, Verónica Pastor1°
1° Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencia “Prof. E. De Robertis” (IBCN, UBA-CONICET)
2° Instituto Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (ITBA); Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Ethanol negatively impacts brain functions, leading to cognitive and behavioral changes. While chronic ethanol’s effects on learning and memory are well-studied, its acute impact remains less clear. We used an inhibitory avoidance (IA) task and neuropharmacology in adult rats to explore acute ethanol effects on memory consolidation. Our results indicate that ethanol administration immediately post-training in an IA task dose-dependently interferes with memory consolidation, impairing memory expression 24 or 48h later. Open field tests revealed no anxiety-like behavior or altered locomotion. Given that ethanol might increase alpha 7 nicotinic receptors (α7nAChRs) desensitization, we explored if this mechanism underlies ethanol-induced memory deficits in specific brain areas. In the ventral tegmental area (VTA), α7nAChRs are not involved in memory consolidation per se. However, the infusion of a positive allosteric modulator reversed the amnesic effect of ethanol, suggesting that VTA α7nAChRs are involved in ethanol-induced memory modulation. Our results provide new insights into the neurobiological bases of aversive memory and ethanol-induced memory impairment.
Acknowledgements: ISN (CAEN grant); FONCyT (PICT INVI grant); UBA (UBACyT II grant); CONICET (PIBAA grant)