Influence of Ethanol on Amnesia and State-dependent Learning Induced by Scopolamine in Male Mouse

Previous studies show that ethanol and scopolamine induce amnesia and state-dependent learning. Based on these findings, in the present study, the effect of ethanol on scopolamine induced amnesia and state-dependent learning has been evaluated in the elevated plus-maze task. In this experimental study we used adult male NMRI mice. Mice were anaesthetized and cannulae implanted bilaterally in the CA1 regions of the dorsal hippocampus using stereotaxic method. Seven days after recovery from surgery, the effect of ethanol on scopolamine amnesia and state dependent learning in mice was examined. Pre-training intra-CA1 injection of scopolamine induced amnesia. Pre-test administration of scopolamine or ethanol restored amnesia induced by pre-training scopolamine. Pre-test injection of ethanol by itself impaired memory but potentiated the reversal effect of pre-test scopolamine on amnesia induced by pre-training scopolamine. These results show that ethanol could influence scopolamine state-dependent learning in the dorsal hippocampus. Furthermore, the data proposed a cross state-dependent learning between ethanol and scopolamine in the mouse dorsal hippocampus.