Anisomycin, like other inhibitors of cerebral protein synthesis, impairs ‘long-term’ memory of a discrimination task

Abstract

Anisomycin, an inhibitor of cerebral protein synthesis, impaired memory measured 1,7, or 14 days after training. Concurrent tests with cycloheximide indicated that the two drugs exerted identical effects on memory. Like cycloheximide, anisomycin had no effect on acquisition with brief training but impaired performance of mice during prolonged training. Anisomycin depressed spontaneous locomotor activity, but an analogue which shared this activity effect inhibited cerebral protein synthesis far less and had no amnesic effect. Anisomycin represents a third class of protein synthesis inhibitor, in addition to puromycin and cycloheximide, which impairs ‘long-term’ memory after discrimination training. These results considerably strengthen the contention that cerebral protein synthesis is required for ‘long-term’ memory.