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The nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor L-name facilitates associative learning
Journal article   Peer reviewed

The nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor L-name facilitates associative learning

Wei Du and John A. Harvey
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry, v 20(7), pp 1183-1195
1996
PMID: 8938819

Abstract

associative learning L-NAME nictitating membrane response nitric oxide NMDA rabbit
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.

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Web of Science research areas
Clinical Neurology
Neurosciences
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Psychiatry
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