Biomaterial Database

Spermidine potentiates dizocilpine-induced impairment of learning performance by rats in a 14-unit T-maze. 1994

A Shimada, and E L Spangler, and E D London, and D K Ingram

Molecular Physiology and Genetics Section, Nathan W. Shock Laboratories, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224.

The NMDA receptor, a ligand-gated ion channel complex, has been reported to be involved in memory processes. Learning is impaired following administration of dizocilpine, a non-competitive antagonist of the NMDA receptor. Polyamines, such as spermine and spermidine, interact with the NMDA receptor to enhance binding of dizocilpine, which blocks the ion channel. The present study assessed action of polyamines as modulators of learning via NMDA receptor activation. Dizocilpine (0.05 mg/kg) was given i.p. before maze learning, at a dose that produced a slight, nonsignificant impairment of maze learning. Pretreatment with 80 mg/kg but not 15 or 40 mg/kg spermidine (i.p.) before dizocilpine impaired maze learning compared to saline controls. Administration of 80 mg/kg spermidine without dizocilpine did not impair maze learning. The results are consistent with the view that systemic injection of a polyamine can modulate learning processes involving the NMDA receptor.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007274	Injections, Intraperitoneal	Forceful administration into the peritoneal cavity of liquid medication, nutrient, or other fluid through a hollow needle piercing the abdominal wall.	Intraperitoneal Injections,Injection, Intraperitoneal,Intraperitoneal Injection
D008297	Male		Males
D008568	Memory	Complex mental function having four distinct phases: (1) memorizing or learning, (2) retention, (3) recall, and (4) recognition. Clinically, it is usually subdivided into immediate, recent, and remote memory.
D011916	Rats, Inbred F344	An inbred strain of rat that is used for general BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH purposes.	Fischer Rats,Rats, Inbred CDF,Rats, Inbred Fischer 344,Rats, F344,Rats, Inbred Fisher 344,CDF Rat, Inbred,CDF Rats, Inbred,F344 Rat,F344 Rat, Inbred,F344 Rats,F344 Rats, Inbred,Inbred CDF Rat,Inbred CDF Rats,Inbred F344 Rat,Inbred F344 Rats,Rat, F344,Rat, Inbred CDF,Rat, Inbred F344,Rats, Fischer
D004357	Drug Synergism	The action of a drug in promoting or enhancing the effectiveness of another drug.	Drug Potentiation,Drug Augmentation,Augmentation, Drug,Augmentations, Drug,Drug Augmentations,Drug Potentiations,Drug Synergisms,Potentiation, Drug,Potentiations, Drug,Synergism, Drug,Synergisms, Drug
D000704	Analysis of Variance	A statistical technique that isolates and assesses the contributions of categorical independent variables to variation in the mean of a continuous dependent variable.	ANOVA,Analysis, Variance,Variance Analysis,Analyses, Variance,Variance Analyses
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013095	Spermidine	A polyamine formed from putrescine. It is found in almost all tissues in association with nucleic acids. It is found as a cation at all pH values, and is thought to help stabilize some membranes and nucleic acid structures. It is a precursor of spermine.
D016194	Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate	A class of ionotropic glutamate receptors characterized by affinity for N-methyl-D-aspartate. NMDA receptors have an allosteric binding site for glycine which must be occupied for the channel to open efficiently and a site within the channel itself to which magnesium ions bind in a voltage-dependent manner. The positive voltage dependence of channel conductance and the high permeability of the conducting channel to calcium ions (as well as to monovalent cations) are important in excitotoxicity and neuronal plasticity.	N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor,N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptors,NMDA Receptor,NMDA Receptor-Ionophore Complex,NMDA Receptors,Receptors, NMDA,N-Methylaspartate Receptors,Receptors, N-Methylaspartate,N Methyl D Aspartate Receptor,N Methyl D Aspartate Receptors,N Methylaspartate Receptors,NMDA Receptor Ionophore Complex,Receptor, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate,Receptor, NMDA,Receptors, N Methyl D Aspartate,Receptors, N Methylaspartate
D016291	Dizocilpine Maleate	A potent noncompetitive antagonist of the NMDA receptor (RECEPTORS, N-METHYL-D-ASPARTATE) used mainly as a research tool. The drug has been considered for the wide variety of neurodegenerative conditions or disorders in which NMDA receptors may play an important role. Its use has been primarily limited to animal and tissue experiments because of its psychotropic effects.	Dizocilpine,MK-801,MK 801,MK801