Effects of MPEP on avoidance learning in rats

In recent years metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) have received considerable attention as a potential target for psychotropic drugs, bill then-influence oil learning and memory is still unclear. The aim of the present study was to examine whether intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of selective mGluR5 antagonist 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)-pyrydine (MPEP), injected prior to, immediately after or 30 min after training, affects acquisition and/or retrieval of the inhibitory step-down and active shuttle-box avoidance in rats. Our results indicate that 5 or 10 mg/kg i.p. MPEP in all tested groups impaired memory consolidation of step-down training without affecting acquisition and had no effect on learning and retention ill shuttle-box trained rats. The data are in agreement with the statement that mGluR5s may contribute very little and task-dependently to the actual acquisition of new information, bill memory formation, appears to require mGluR5s through modulation of consolidation and/or recall. (c) 2007 Prous Science. All rights reserved.