Effects of the NMDA antagonist MK-801 on radial maze performance in histidine-deficient rats.

We examined the effects of a histidine-deficient diet on brain histamine contents as well as on learning and memory using the eight-arm radial maze in rats. A significant decrease in histamine content in the hippocampus was observed after long-term feeding of rats with a histidine-deficient diet. At the same time, significant enhancement of the acquisition process in radial maze performance was also observed. Pyrilamine did not show a significant effect on radial maze performance in histidine-deficient rats. On the other hand, pyrilamine caused a significant spatial memory deficit in control rats. Scopolamine was effective in inhibiting spatial memory in both histidine-deficient and control rats. MK-801 caused spatial memory deficits more potently in histidine-deficient rats than in controls. Brain glycine contents showed a significant increase in the hippocampus in histidine-deficient rats. These results indicated that the spatial memory deficits induced by MK-801 in histidine-deficient rats are closely related to increased glycine levels and activation of NMDA receptors.