Abstract
Benzodiazepines are widely used anxiolytics and anticonvulsants, and their potent sedative properties are routinely used in presurgical anaesthesia. However, they are also known to induce a strong anterograde amnesia in patients1. Specific benzodiazepine antagonists have recently been described2,3, some of which have intrinsic pharmacological properties that are opposite to those of benzodiazepines. These have been called inverse agonists4,5 and they have been shown to be proconyulsant or convulsant6,7 whereas benzodiazepines are anticonvulsants. Inverse agonists are also anxiogenic8–12 rather than anxiolytic. Since benzodiazepines induce anterograde amnesia, we have investigated the possibility that inverse agonists might also have an opposite effect for this property and so enhance acquisition (learning) and (or) retention (memory). We report here that, in three different animal models, an inverse agonist of the β-carboline group, methyl β-carboline-3-carboxylate (β-CCM), enhances animal performance in three different tasks used to investigate learning and memory.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lister, R. G. Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev. 9, 87–94 (1985).
Hunkeler, W. et al.. Nature 290, 514–516 (1981).
Braestrup, C., Nielsen, M. & Olsen, C. E. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77, 2288–2292 (1980).
Polc, P., Bonetti, E. P., Schaffner, R. & Haefely, W. Naunyn-Schmiedebergs Archs. Pharmak. 321, 260–264 (1982).
Braestrup, C., Schmiechen, R., Neef, G., Nielsen, M. & Petersen, E. N. Science 216, 1241–1243 (1982).
Oakley, N. R. & Jones, B. J. Neuropharmacology 21, 587–589 (1982).
Prado De Carvalho, L. et al.. Eur. J. Pharmac. 103, 287–293 (1984).
Dorow, R., Horowski, R., Paschelke, G., Amin, M. & Braestrup, C. Lancet 2 98–99 (1983).
Ninan, P. T. et al.. Science 218, 1322–1334 (1982).
File, S. E., Lister, R. G. & Nutt, D. J. Neuropharmacology 21, 1033–1037 (1982).
Prado De Carvalho, L., Grecksch, G., Chapouthier, G. & Rossier, J. Nature 301, 64–66 (1983).
Corda, M. G., Blaker, W. B., Mendelson, W. B., Guidotti, A. & Costa, E. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 80, 2072–2076 (1983).
Soubrié, P., Simon, P. & Boissier, J. R. C.r. hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci., Paris (D) 283, 203–205 (1976).
Lecanuet, J. P., Alexinsky, T. & Chapouthier, G. Behav. Biol. 16, 291–304 (1976).
Jensen, H. H. & Poulsen, J. C. Scand. J. Psychol. 23, 107–111 (1982).
Martinez, J. L. Jr, Jensen, R. A. & McGaugh, J. L. in The Physiological Basis of Memory 2nd edn (ed. Deutsch, J. A.) Ch. 2 (Academic, New York, 1983) 49–70.
Ongini, E., Barzaghi, C. & Marzanatti, M. Eur. J. Pharmac. 95, 125–129 (1983).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Venault, P., Chapouthier, G., de Carvalho, L. et al. Benzodiazepine impairs and β-carboline enhances performance in learning and memory tasks. Nature 321, 864–866 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1038/321864a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/321864a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.