Involvement of the nucleus accumbens shell glutamatergic system in ACPA-induced impairment of inhibitory avoidance memory consolidation.

Interactions between cannabinoid and glutamate systems have been demonstrated in some brain areas associated with mnemonic functions. This study investigates the effects of bilateral post-training intra-nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell administrations of glutamate NMDA receptor agents on memory impairment induced by cannabinoid CB1 receptor activation during a step-through inhibitory avoidance (IA) task. Our results showed post-training administration of ACPA (CB1 receptor agonist; 3 ng/side) impairs IA memory consolidation, whereas AM251 (CB1 receptor antagonist; 0.3, 3 and 30 ng/side), NMDA (0.3, 3 and 30 ng/side), and d-AP7 (NMDA receptor antagonist; 3, 30 and 300 ng/side) were ineffective. However, co-administration of AM251 (30 ng/side) or NMDA (30 ng/side) with ACPA (3 ng/side) prevented the memory-impairing effect of ACPA. Meanwhile, co-administration of NMDA (30 ng/side) and a subthreshold dose of ACPA (0.15 ng/side) decreased memory consolidation. Moreover, post-training microinjection of AM251 (30 ng/side) or d-AP7 (300 ng/side) prevented memory impairment induced by co-administration of subthreshold doses of NMDA and ACPA. The data indicated that NMDA receptor mechanism(s), at least partly, play(s) a role in modulating the effect of ACPA on memory consolidation in the NAc shell.