COMPARISON OF CENTRAL EFFECTS PRODUCED BY INTRACEREBRAL INJECTION OF GLUTAMIC-ACID, QUISQUALIC ACID, AND KAINIC ACID

Icv glutamic acid (Glu), quisqualic acid (QA) and kainic acid (KA) significantly increased spontaneous activity of mice in photecell box, and induced dose-dependent rise of blood pressure in anesthetized rats. Their intensities were arranged in the order of KA > Glu > QA. In mice step-through test Glu 0.1-mu-g icv improved learning and memory; KA 1 ng had no evident effect; and QA 0.1-mu-g impaired learning and memory, which were also confirmed by step-down test in normal mice. Therefore, the non-NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptor subtype might be different from the NMDA receptor subtype in the action of learning and memory.