Role of neurotransmitters and protein synthesis in short- and long-term memory

Conference · Sun Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:6511124

Bennett, E L; Rosenzweig, M R; Flood, J F

Anisomycin is an effective inhibitor of cerebral protein synthesis in mice and is also an effective amnestic agent for both passive and active behavioral tasks. From use of anisomycin in combination with a variety of stimulant and depressant drugs, it was concluded that the level of arousal following acquisition plays an important role in determining the duration and the rate of the biosynthetic phase of memory formation. While we have interpreted the experiments with anisomycin as evidence for an essential role of protein in memory storage, others have suggested that side effects of inhibitors of protein synthesis on catecholamine metabolism are the main cause of amnesia. Several experiments were therefore done to compare the effects of anisomycin and catecholamine inhibitors on memory. It was concluded that anisomycin's principal amnestic mechanism does not involve inhibition of the catecholamine system. The results strengthen the conclusion that protein synthesis is an essential component for long-term memory trace formation. Also, it is suggested that proteins synthesized in the neuronal cell body are used, in conjunction with other molecules, to produce permanent and semi-permanent anatomical changes.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Berkeley (USA); California Univ., Los Angeles (USA). School of Medicine
• OSTI ID: 6511124
• Report Number(s): LBL-8322; CONF-7808103-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550100* -- Behavioral Biology
550200 -- Biochemistry
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
ANTIBIOTICS
BEHAVIOR
BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOSYNTHESIS
BODY
BRAIN
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CHEMISTRY
DRUGS
INHIBITION
MAMMALS
MICE
NERVE CELLS
NERVOUS SYSTEM
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PROTEINS
RODENTS
SOMATIC CELLS
SYNTHESIS
VERTEBRATES