Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
10299452 European Neuropsychopharmacology 2011 5 Pages PDF
Abstract
This study examined the role of forebrain n-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDA-Rs) in the promnesiant effects of natural (+) pregnenolone sulfate (PREGS) and its synthetic (−) enantiomer ent-PREGS in young adult mice. Using the two-trial arm discrimination task in a Y-maze, PREGS and ent-PREGS administration to control mice increased memory performances. In mice with a knock-out of the NR1 subunit of NMDA-Rs in the forebrain, the promnesiant effect of ent-PREGS was maintained whereas the activity of PREGS was lost. Memory enhancement by PREGS involves the NMDA-R activity in the hippocampal CA1 area and possibly in some locations of the cortical layers, whereas ent-PREGS acts independently of NMDA-R function.
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Life Sciences Neuroscience Biological Psychiatry
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