Testing cyclic AMP mediation of memory: reversal of alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine-induced amnesia.

Treatments that increased intracellular cyclic 3',5' adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels following catecholamine depletion caused by alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (AMPT) provided a prophylactic effect against AMPT-induced amnesia. This effect gives evidence that cAMP mediated the formation of memory. In Experiment I, the phosphodiesterase inhibitor papaverine (50 mg/kg), immediately after a one-trial acquisition task, functionally increased cAMP levels and prevented amnesia 3 h after treatment with AMPT (200 mg/kg) for New Zealand A strain (NZ/A) mice tested in a step-through passive avoidance apparatus. Retention test latencies 72 h later were significantly higher for animals that received only saline and for animals that received AMPT and papaverine than for animals that received AMPT and saline (the amnesic group). In a similar task (Experiment II), mice that received an intracerebroventricular injection of either 5 or 10 microgram dibutyryl cAMP immediately after acquisition and 3 h after AMPT administration showed significantly higher retention test latencies than animals that received AMPT and saline. The AMP plus 10 microgram dibutyryl cAMP group showed facilitated performance even compared to the saline plus saline group.