Biopsychological study on the role of hippocampal-prefrontal system in spatial working memory

采用行为药理学方法，通过脑内注射NMDA受体拮抗剂，研究了海马-前额叶系统，特别是其谷氨酸能NMDA受体在空间工作记忆中的作用。从以前的研究中已经知道，在背侧海马中处理的拮抗剂引起大鼠放射状迷宫行为的显著缺陷。本研究发现，腹侧海马和内侧前额叶皮层的拮抗剂处理也造成了这些学习行为的缺陷。此外，全身给药的受体的部分激动剂产生促进作用的自发物体位置识别性能。结果提示，海马-前额叶系统的NMDA受体在空间工作记忆中起重要作用。

The role of hippocampal-prefrontal system, especially its glutamatergic NMDA receptors, in spatial working memory was investigated by behavioral pharmacological techniques using intracerebral administration of a NMDA receptor antagonist. It has been known from previous studies that the antagonist treated into the dorsal hippocampus causes marked deficits in radial maze behavior in rats. The present study revealed that the antagonist treated into the ventral hippocampus and the medial prefrontal cortex also caused deficits of these learned behaviors. Additionally, systemic administration of a partial agonist of the receptor exerted facilitative effect on spontaneous object place recognition performance. The results suggest that NMDA receptors in the hippocampal-prefrontal system play an important role in spatial working memory.