Inhibition of catecholamine biosynthesis and memory processes

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Abstract
Rats injected with 60 mg/kg of α-methyl tyrosine (α-MT) immediately after a training in a shuttle box impaired retention of conditioned avoidance response (CAR). Dl-Dopa (200 mg/kg) administered 5, 30, 60, and 120 min after α-MT treatment counteracted the depressive effect of this drug during the retention test; at longer times it was ineffective. Post-trial injections of 600 mg/kg of diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) impaired retention of CAR; at a lower dose (300 mg/kg) it had no effect. Administration of α-MT (60 mg/kg) immediately after passive avoidance training lowered memory in females but not in males. These results suggest that noradrenaline (NA) is required for memory consolidation processes for about 2 h after training.