INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO LTP GENERATION AND CHANGES IN NMDA-NR1 AND -NR2B SUBUNITS MRNA EXPRESSION IN RAT HIPPOCAMPUS AFTER MCH ADMINISTRATION

MARIANA VARAS; MARIELA F. PÉREZ.; OSCAR A RAMIREZ; SUSANA RUBIALES

PEPTIDES

ELSEVIER SCIENCE INC

Año: 2003 vol. 24 p. 1403 - 1403

0196-9781

font size="1" face="Times New Roman"> The present study attempts to determine which mechanisms underlie the retrograde facilitation of memory induced by microinjection hippocampal melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) on the inhibitory avoidance paradigm. Previous reports using this test on the hippocampus suggest that NMDA receptor-mediated mechanisms are involved in memory processing and are also necessary for the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) of the hippocampal dentate gyrus. In addition, alterations in expression of synaptic NMDA subunits in the hippocampus have been associated with memory formation of an inhibitory avoidance task.We have studied the effects of the neuropeptide upon the electrophysiological parameters using hippocampal slices from rats injected with the peptide and tested in step-down tests as