Involvement of Protein Kinase Mζ in the Maintenance of Long-Term Memory for Taste Aversion Learning in Young Chicks

The effects of an inhibitor of protein kinase M zeta on long-term memory were studied using the model of taste aversion in newborn chicks. Memory was impaired by intracerebral injection of 10 or 20 nmol of zeta-inhibiting peptide 24 h after training. Memory impairment was found 2 h after peptide administration, and repeated examination 24 h after treatment showed no recovery. Memory impairment was not observed 24 h after inhibitor administration if the testing 2 h after treatment was not performed. The results indicate the contribution of protein kinase M zeta in the maintenance of long-term memory in the avian brain. These data confirm the hypothesis of several authors that inhibition of protein kinase M zeta does not abolish memory, but rather interacts with processes of memory retrieval and/or reconsolidation.