| Abstract: | A nicotinic cholinergic antagonist, mecamylamine (MEC), was administered to rabbits tested on eyeblink classical conditioning (EBCC) in the 750-msec delay paradigm for 10 90-trial sessions. Nicotinic receptors were measured in 3 brain regions in S treatment groups: paired conditioned stimulus–unconditioned stimulus (CS–UCS) presentations with (1) vehicle, young; (2) vehicle, older; (3) 0.5 mg/kg MEC, young; unpaired CS–UCS with (4) 0.5 mg/kg MEC, young; and (5) vehicle, young. Daily MEC injections disrupted acquisition in young rabbits (769 trials to learning criterion vs 323 trials for vehicle-treated young rabbits). MEC-treated young rabbits learned similarly to older rabbits. Brain nicotinic receptors were not affected by 10 daily MEC injections. To our knowledge, this experimental protocol, using a low MEC dose to selectively inhibit nicotinic cholinergic receptors, is the first to demonstrate a role for nicotinic cholinergic receptors in EBCC. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
