Galnon facilitates extinction of morphine-conditioned place preference but also potentiates the consolidation process.

Abstract

Learning and memory systems are intimately involved in drug addiction. Previous studies suggest that galanin, a neuropeptide that binds G-protein coupled receptors, plays essential roles in the encoding of memory. In the present study, we tested the function of galnon, a galanin receptor 1 and 2 agonist, in reward-associated memory, using conditioned place preference (CPP), a widely used paradigm in drug-associated memory. Either before or following CPP-inducing morphine administration, galnon was injected at four different time points to test the effects of galanin activation on different reward-associated memory processes: 15 min before CPP training (acquisition), immediately after CPP training (consolidation), 15 min before the post-conditioning test (retrieval), and multiple injection after post-tests (reconsolidation and extinction). Galnon enhanced consolidation and extinction processes of morphine-induced CPP memory, but the compound had no effect on acquisition, retrieval, or reconsolidation processes. Our findings demonstrate that a galanin receptor 1 and 2 agonist, galnon, may be used as a viable compound to treat drug addiction by facilitating memory extinction process.

• Authors: Xiaojie Zhao, Keming Yun, Ronald R Seese, Zhenyuan Wang
• Journal: PloS one (PLoS One) Vol. 8 Issue 10 Pg. e76395 ( 2013) ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24146862 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• 7-((9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)cyclohexylalanyllysyl)amino-4-methylcoumarin
• Coumarins
• Morphine

Topics

• Animals
• Choice Behavior (drug effects)
• Conditioning, Classical (drug effects)
• Coumarins (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• Extinction, Psychological (drug effects)
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Morphine (pharmacology)