Effects of haloperidol, sulpiride and SCH 23390 on passive avoidance learning in mice

The main purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of dopamine blockers on memory processes by means of a one-trial passive avoidance (PA) task with ddY mice. Haloperidol (0.025-0.4 mg/kg i.p.) did not affect the PA response when it was given before the training or retention test. Sulpiride (10-80 mg/kg i.p.) had different effects, depending on the doses employed: A lower dose (20 mg/kg) of sulpiride, which is thought to block presynaptic receptors, impaired the PA response but higher doses (40 and 80 mg/kg i.p.) did not affect it when sulpiride was given before the training or retention test. SCH 23390 (0.025-0.1 mg/kg i.p.) impaired the PA response only when it was given before the training. These results suggest that blocking of postsynaptic D-2 receptors does not impair memory processes but blocking of presynaptic D-2 receptors impairs both acquisition and retrieval stages of memory processes following an increase in dopamine release. The involvement of D-1 receptors in memory processes involved in the PA response may be essentially different from that of D-2 receptors, since the blocking of D1 receptors impaired only memory acquisition.