Enhanced procedural learning following beta-amyloid protein (1-42) infusion in the rat.

Abstract

Wistar rats receiving intracerebroventricular infusion of the beta-amyloid protein (Abeta1-42) or of the inactive fragment (Abeta1-42) were subjected to the cross-maze task. According to the standard protocol, rats were released from the south arm and trained to collect food at the end of the east arm. After a 5-day training period, they were given a probe trial during which they were released from the north arm and allowed to choose either the east arm (place learning) or the west arm (response learning). Control rats showed predominant place learning whereas all rats receiving (Abeta1-42) showed response learning. These data indicate that exposure to (Abeta1-42) does not only impair cognitive responding but elicits strong procedural (motor-based) responding.