The Role of Intra-Amygdaloid Neurotensin and Dopamine Interaction in Spatial Learning and Memory

Bettina Réka László; Erika Kertes; Tamás Ollmann; László Péczely; Anita Kovács; Zoltán Karádi; László Lénárd; Kristóf László

doi:10.3390/biomedicines10123138

The Role of Intra-Amygdaloid Neurotensin and Dopamine Interaction in Spatial Learning and Memory

Biomedicines. 2022 Dec 5;10(12):3138. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10123138.

Authors

Bettina Réka László^{1

2}, Erika Kertes^{1

2

3

4}, Tamás Ollmann^{1

2

3

4}, László Péczely^{1

2

3}, Anita Kovács^{1

2

4}, Zoltán Karádi^{1

2

5

6}, László Lénárd^{1

2

5

6}, Kristóf László^{1

2

4}

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, 7602 Pécs, Hungary.
² Neuroscience Center, University of Pécs, 7602 Pécs, Hungary.
³ Learning in Biological and Artificial Systems Research Group, Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, 7602 Pécs, Hungary.
⁴ Neuropeptides, Cognition, Animal Models of Neuropsychiatric Disorders Research Group, Institute of Physiology, Medical School, University of Pécs, 7602 Pécs, Hungary.
⁵ Szentágothai Research Center, Cellular Bioimpedance Research Group, 7624 Pécs, Hungary.
⁶ Szentágothai Center, Molecular Endocrinology and Neurophysiology Research Group, University of Pécs, 7624 Pécs, Hungary.

Abstract

Neurotransmitter and neuromodulator neurotensin (NT) has been proved to facilitate spatial and passive avoidance learning after microinjected into the rat central nucleus of amygdala (CeA). These previous studies of our laboratory also revealed that neurotensin-1 receptor (NTS1) is involved in the mentioned actions of NT. Extensive literature confirms the interaction between neurotensinergic and dopaminergic systems, and our research group also suppose that the mesolimbic dopaminergic system (MLDS) is involved in the spatial learning and memory-facilitating effect of NT in the CeA. In the present work, NT and dopamine (DA) interaction has been examined in the Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests. Rats received 100 ng NT, 5 µg dopamine D2 receptor antagonist sulpiride in itself, sulpiride as a pretreatment before NT or vehicle solution into the CeA. NT microinjection significantly decreased target-finding latency in the Morris water maze test and significantly increased entrance latency in the passive avoidance test, as was expected based on our previous findings. The DA D2 receptor antagonist pretreatment was able to inhibit both effects of NT. The results confirm the facilitatory effect of NT on spatial learning and memory and let us conclude that these actions can be exerted via the DA D2 receptors.

Keywords: amygdala; dopamine; memory; neurotensin; passive avoidance learning; spatial learning.

Grants and funding

The project has been supported by the University of Pécs, Medical School, Pécs, Hungary (PTE ÁOK KA-2020-06), and the New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology (ÚNKP-21-5-PTE-1333). There are no competing financial interests in relation to the work described.