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Abstract
The neurosteroids, pregnenolone sulfate (PREG-S) and tetrahydroprogesterone (TH-PROG),
act on the GABAA receptor with antagonist or agonist-like properties, respectively.
In this study the effect of the infusion of PREG-S and TH-PROG into the nucleus basalis
magnocellularis (NBM) of the rat was examined in a two-trial memory task. The results
show that PREG-S (5 ng in 0.5 microliter) enhances memory performance when injected
after an acquisition trial; conversely TH-PROG (2 ng in 0.5 microliter) disrupts performance
when injected before an acquisition trial. A role for neurosteroids in memory processes
subserved by the nucleus basalis magnocellularis is of interest in view of the implication
of this structure and these substances in neurodegenerative processes.