The nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor L-name facilitates associative learning

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1. 1. Nitric oxide has been suggested to play an important role in synaptic plasticity and in learning. 2. 2. The authors (examined the effects of N w -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, a competitive and enantiomeric specific inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, on classical conditioning of the rabbit's nictitating membrane response. 3. 3. It was found that L-NAME significantly enhanced the acquisition of conditioned responses. 4. 4. The enhanced conditioned responses were not due to a sensitization of the conditioned and unconditioned reflexes or to changes in baseline levels of responding. 5. 5. The dose and route of administration of L-NAME employed in this study had no effect on blood pressure. 6. 6. These results suggest that nitric oxide normally functions as a tonic inhibitory modulator of associative learning and that procedures aimed at decreasing its production may provide a novel approach for improving learning.