The effects of sulfated and nonsulfated cholecystokinin octapeptides on electroconvulsive shock-induced retrograde amnesia after intracerebroventricular administration in rats.

The effects of several doses of intracerebroventricularly injected cholecystokinin octapeptide sulfate ester (CCK-8-SE) and nonsulfated scholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8-NS) were studied on electroconvulsive shock (ECS)-induced retrograde amnesia, as measured in a one-trial step-through passive avoidance paradigm. Both CCK-8-SE and CCK-8-NS were able to attenuate amnesia slightly when they were injected into rats 10 min prior to ECS treatment, possibly by reducing the severity of the ECS-induced seizures. Of the treatments carried out immediately after ECS, only the 0.8 pmole dose of CCK-8-NS could significantly restore retrograde amnesia. After treatment 20 min prior to testing 24-hr retention, no effect of the peptides was observed. The lack of a dose-dependency and of any effect on retrieval raises the possibility that the CCK octapeptides influence memory processes by an indirect mechanism.