Effects of the 5-HT7 receptor antagonists SB-269970 and DR 4004 in autoshaping Pavlovian/instrumental learning task.

There is an important debate regarding the functional role of the 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(7) receptor in memory systems. Hence, the objective of this paper is to investigate the function of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) in memory consolidation, utilising an autoshaping Pavlovian/instrumental learning test. Specific antagonists at 5-HT(1A) (WAY 100635) and 5-HT(7) (SB-269970 or DR 4004) receptors administered i.p. or s.c.) after training, significantly decreased the improvement of performance produced by the 5-HT(1A/7) agonist 8-OH-DPAT to levels lower than controls'. These same antagonists attenuated the decreased level of performance produced by mCPP, although they decrease the performance levels after p-chloroamphetamine (PCA) lesion of the 5-HT system, which has no effect on its own on the conditioned response. Moreover, SB-269970 or DR 4004 reversed amnesia induced by scopolamine and dizocilpine. These data confirm a role for 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(7) receptors in memory formation and support the hypothesis that serotonergic, cholinergic, and glutamatergic systems interact in cognitively impaired animals. These findings support a potential role for both 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(7) receptors in the pathophysiology and/or treatment of schizophrenia, cognitive deficits and the mechanism of action of atypical antipsychotic drugs.