Journal
JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
Volume 21, Issue 7, Pages 2518-2525Publisher
SOC NEUROSCIENCE
DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.21-07-02518.2001
Keywords
hippocampus; inhibitory avoidance; memory storage; stria terminalis; RU 28362; ventral striatum
Categories
Funding
- NIMH NIH HHS [MH 12526, R56 MH012526, R01 MH012526] Funding Source: Medline
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Systemic or intracerebral administration of glucocorticoids enhances memory consolidation in several tasks. Previously, we reported that these effects depend on an intact basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BLA) and efferents from the BLA that run through the stria terminalis (ST). The BLA projects directly to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) via this ST pathway. The NAc also receives direct projections from the hippocampus and, therefore, may be a site of convergence of BLA and hippocampal influences in modulating memory consolidation. In support of this view, we found previously that lesions of either the NAc or the ST also block the memory-modulatory effect of systemically administered glucocorticoids. The present experiments examined the effects of lesions of the NAc or the ST on the memory-modulatory effects of intracerebral glucocorticoids on inhibitory avoidance training. Microinfusions of the specific glucocorticoid receptor agonist 11 beta ,17 beta -dihydroxy-6,21-dimethyl-17 alpha -pregna-4,6-trien-20yn-3-one (RU 28362; 1.0 or 3.0 ng) into either the BLA or the hippocampus of male Sprague Dawley rats administered immediately after training enhanced the 48 hr retention performance in a dose-dependent manner. Bilateral lesions of the NAc or the ST alone did not affect retention performance but blocked the memory enhancement induced by intra-BLA or intrahippocampal glucocorticoid receptor agonist administration. These findings indicate that the BLA-NAc pathway plays an essential role in mediating glucocorticoid effects on memory consolidation and suggest that the BLA interacts with hippocampal effects on memory consolidation via this pathway.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available