DIAZEPAM IMPAIRS RETENTION OF SPATIAL INFORMATION WITHOUT AFFECTING RETRIEVAL OR CUE LEARNING

We further investigated the effect of diazepam on the processing of spatial information in a water maze task. Diazepam significantly impaired the retention of spatial information in a group of rats trained to locate a hidden platform. In a free swim trial carried out after training, diazepam-treated rats showed no bias to the target quadrant. There was no effect of diazepam on retrieval of spatial information in well-trained rats, and diazepam was devoid of any effect on cue learning in the water maze. However, diazepam blocked latent place learning during cue training in the water maze. Our results indicate that the GABA-BZD receptor modulates spatial information processing and that diazepam specifically impairs the retention of spatial information without affecting retrieval or cue learning.