Olfactory bulb α2-adrenoceptor activation promotes rat pup odor-preference learning via a cAMP-independent mechanism

In this study, three lines of evidence suggest a role for α(2)-adrenoreceptors in rat pup odor-preference learning: olfactory bulb infusions of the α(2)-antagonist, yohimbine, prevents learning; the α(2)-agonist, clonidine, paired with odor, induces learning; and subthreshold clonidine paired with s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Learning & memory (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2012-10, Vol.19 (11), p.499-502
Main Authors: Shakhawat, Amin M D, Harley, Carolyn W, Yuan, Qi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Conditioning, Classical - physiology
Cyclic AMP - metabolism
Learning - physiology
Odorants
Olfactory Bulb - physiology
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha - metabolism
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Summary:In this study, three lines of evidence suggest a role for α(2)-adrenoreceptors in rat pup odor-preference learning: olfactory bulb infusions of the α(2)-antagonist, yohimbine, prevents learning; the α(2)-agonist, clonidine, paired with odor, induces learning; and subthreshold clonidine paired with subthreshold β-adrenoceptor activation also recruits learning. Increased mitral cell layer pCREB occurs with clonidine-infusion, but cAMP is not increased. Similar results using a GABAa-antagonist suggest that disinhibition may support clonidine-induced learning. We suggest that norepinephrine can act through multiple bulbar adrenoceptor subtypes to induce odor learning and that cAMP-dependent, as well as cAMP-independent, signals may act as unconditioned stimuli.
ISSN:1549-5485
DOI:10.1101/lm.027359.112