Learning and extinction of a conditioned passive avoidance reaction resulting from neuropharmacological actions on dopamine D1 and D2 receptors were demonstrated to be specific in intact mice and in mice with a depressive-like state. Learning was degraded only after administration of the D2 receptor antagonist sulpiride and was independent of the initial functional state of the mice. In intact mice, activation of D2 receptors with quinpirole led to a deficit of extinction, consisting of a reduction in the ability to acquire new inhibitory learning in conditions associated with the disappearance of the expected punishment. In mice with the “behavioral despair” reaction, characterized by delayed extinction, activation of D1 receptors with SKF38393 normalized this process, while the D2 agonist was ineffective. A positive effect consisting of accelerated extinction of the memory of fear of the dark (“dangerous”) sector of the experimental chamber was also seen on blockade of both types of dopamine receptor.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
D. F. Avgustinovich, O. V. Alekseenko, I. V. Bakshtanovskaya, L. A. Koryakina, T. V. Lipina, M. V. Tenditnik, N. P. Bondar’, K. L. Kovalenko, and N. N. Kudryavtseva, “Dynamic changes in brain serotoninergic and dopaminergic activity during the development of anxious depression: an experimental study,” Usp. Fiziol. Nauk., 35, No. 4, 19–40 (2004).
N. I. Dubrovina and L. V. Loskutova, Dopaminergic Mechanisms of Memory and Attention [in Russian], Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Novosibirsk (2003).
N. I. Dubrovina and R. A. Tomilenko, “Extinction of a conditioned passive avoidance reaction in mice with a depressive-like state,” Ros. Fiziol. Zh., 92, No. 9, 1092–1099 (2006).
K. Yu. Sarkisova, M. A. Kulikov, K. S. Midzyanovskaya, and A. A. Folomkina, “The dopamine-dependent nature of depressive-like behavior in WAG/Rij rats with genetic absence epilepsy,” Zh. Vyssh. Nerv. Deyat., 57, No. 1, 91–102 (2007).
H. Anisman and K. Matheson, “Stress, depression, and anhedonia: caveats concerning animal models,” Biobehav. Rev., 29, No. 4–5, 525–546 (2005).
A. M. Basso, K. B. Gallagher, N. A. Bratcher, J. D. Brioni, R. B. Moreland, G. C. Hsieh, K. Drescher, G. B. Fox, M. W. Decker, and L. E. Rueter, “Antidepressant-like effect of D(2/3) receptor-, but not D(4) receptor-activation in the rat forced swim test,” Neuropsychopharmacology, 30, No. 7, 1257–1268 (2005).
P. Bernaerts and E. Tirelli, “Facilitatory effect of the dopamine D4 receptor agonist PD 168,077 on memory consolidation of an inhibitory avoidance learned response in C57BL/6J mice,” Behav. Brain Res., 142, No. 1–2, 41–52 (2003).
T. B. Borowski and L. Kokkinidis, “The effects of cocaine, amphetamine, and the dopamine D1 receptor agonist SKF 38393 on fear extinction as measured with potentiated startle: implications for psychomotor stimulant psychosis,” Behav. Neurosci., 112, No. 4, 952–965 (1998).
S. Cabib, R. Ventura, and S. Puglisi-Allegra, “Opposite imbalances between mesocortical and mesoaccumbens dopamine responses to stress by the same genotype depending on living conditions,” Behav. Brain Res., 129, No. 1–2, 179–185 (2002).
J. F. Cryan and A. Holmes, “The ascent of mouse: advances in modeling human depression and anxiety,” Nat. Rev. Drug. Discov., 4, No. 9, 775–790 (2005).
M. Delgado, A. Olsson, and E. Phelps, “Extending animal models of fear conditioning to humans,” Biol. Psychol., 73, No. 1, 39–48 (2006).
A. R. De Oliveira, A. E. Reimer, and M. L. Brandao, “Dopamine D2 receptor mechanisms in the expression of conditioned fear,” Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav., 84, No. 1, 102–111 (2006).
M. Eh-Ghundi, B. F. O’Dowd, and S. R. George, “Insights into the role of dopamine receptor systems in learning and memory,” Rev. Neurosci., 18, No. 1, 37–66 (2007).
E. Fernandez Espejo, “Prefrontocortical dopamine loss in rats delays long-term extinction of contextual fear, and reduced social interaction without affecting short-term social interaction memory,” Neuropsychopharmacology, 28, No. 3, 490–498 (2003).
M. L. Kram, G. L. Kramer, P. J. Ronan, M. Steciuk, and F. Petty, “Dopamine receptors and learned helplessness in the rat: an autoradiographic study,” Prog. Neuropsychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry, 26, No. 4, 639–645 (2002).
D. D. Kurylo, “Effects of quinpirole on operant conditioning: perseveration of behavioral components,” Behav. Bran Res., 155, No. 1, 117–124 (2004).
M. R. Milad, S. L. Rauch, R. K. Pitman, and G. J. Quirk, “Fear extinction in rats: implications for human brain imaging and anxiety disorders,” Biol. Psychol., 73, No. 1, 61–71 (2006).
M. J. Milan, M. Brocco, M. Papp, F. Serres, C. D. La Rochelle, T. Sharp, J. L. Peglion, and Dekeyne, “S32504, a novel naphtoxazine agonist at dopamine D3/D2 receptors: III. Actions in models of potential antidepressive and anxiolytic activity in comparison with ropinirole,” J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 309, No. 3, 936–950 (2004).
K. Nader and J. Le Doux, “The dopaminergic modulation of fear: quinpirole impairs the recall of emotional memories in rats,” Behav. Neurosci., 113, No. 1, 152–165 (1999).
M. A. Pezze and J. Feldon, “Mesolimbic dopaminergic pathways in fear conditioning,” Prog. Neurobiol., 74, No. 5, 301–320 (2004).
R. Ponnusamy, H. A. Nissim, and M. Barad, “Systemic blockade of D2-like dopamine receptors facilitates extinction of conditioned fear in mice,” Learn. Mem., 12, No. 4, 399–406 (2005).
J. H. Rick, J. C. Horvitz, and P. D. Balsam, “Dopamine receptor blockade and extinction differentially affect behavioral variability,” Behav. Neurosci., 120, No. 2, 488–492 (2006).
J. W. Smith, L. A. Fetsko, R. Xu, and Y. Wang, “Dopamine D2L receptor knockout mice display deficits in positive and negative reinforcing properties of morphine and in avoidance learning,” Neurosci., 113, No. 4, 755–765 (2002).
P. Willner, “Chronic mild stress (CMS) revisited: consistency and behavioural-neurobiological concordance in the effects of CMS,” Neuropsychobiology, 52, No. 2, 90–110 (2005).
G. Yadid, D. H. Overstreet, and A. Zangen, “Limbic dopaminergic adaptation to a stressful stimulus in a rat model of depression,” Brain Res., 896, No. 1–2, 43–47 (2001).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Translated from Zhurnal Vysshei Nervnoi Deyatel’nosti imeni I. P. Pavlova, Vol. 58, No. 5, pp. 605–610, September–October, 2008.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dubrovina, N.I., Zinov’eva, D.V. Effects of Activation and Blockade of Dopamine Receptors on the Extinction of a Passive Avoidance Reaction in Mice with a Depressive-Like State. Neurosci Behav Physi 40, 55–59 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-009-9226-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11055-009-9226-3