Intrahippocampal infusion of a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor attenuates memory acquisition in rats.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors have been shown to block memory retention in rodents following Morris water maze training and in chicks following a passive avoidance task. However, the role of COX-2 in acquisition has not been analyzed. We show that pre-training intrahippocampal infusion of a COX-2 specific inhibitor (celecoxib) attenuated water maze acquisition. These findings, along with previously published reports, implicate COX-2 activity in both memory acquisition and retention.