Septal co-infusions of glucose with the benzodiazepine agonist chlordiazepoxide impair memory, but co-infusions of glucose with the opiate morphine do not

Abstract

We have found repeatedly that medial septal (MS) infusions of glucose impair memory when co-infused with the γ-amino butyric acid (GABA) agonist muscimol. The present experiments sought to determine whether the memory-impairing effects of this concentration of glucose would generalize to another GABA A receptor agonist and to an agonist from another neurotransmitter system that is known to impair memory. Specifically, we determined whether the dose of glucose that produces memory deficits when combined with muscimol in the MS would also impair memory when co-infused with the GABA A receptor modulator chlordiazepoxide (CDP) or the opiate morphine. Male Sprague–Dawley rats were given MS co-infusions and then 15 min later tested for spontaneous alternation or given shock avoidance training (retention tested 48 h later). The results showed that MS infusions of the higher dose of glucose with morphine did not produce memory deficits, whereas, the performance of rats given MS co-infusions of CDP with glucose was impaired. These findings suggest that the memory-impairing effects of brain glucose administration may involve an interaction with the GABA A receptor.