Memory modulation with peripherally acting cholinergic drugs.

Physostigmine (PHYSO), in doses as low as 0.003 mg/kg IP, antagonized scopolamine (SCOP, 3 mg/kg) induced amnesia of step-through passive avoidance in mice. The peripherally acting acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor neostigmine (NEO) was also found to reliably, though less strongly, antagonize the SCOP induced amnesia at a dose of 0.03 mg/kg. The NEO antagonism of the SCOP amnesia could be reversed with SCOP (0.3, 1, and 3 mg/kg) and mecamylamine (MECA, 1, 3, and 10 mg/kg), muscarinic and nicotinic antagonists, respectively, which are active both peripherally and centrally, as well as with M-SCOP (0.3 and 1 mg/kg) and hexamethonium (HEX, 1 and 3 mg/kg), muscarinic and nicotinic antagonists, respectively, which are active only in the periphery. In contrast to the ability of these four compounds to attenuate the SCOP amnesia, only the centrally acting compounds SCOP (3 mg/kg) and MECA (10 mg/kg) induced an amnesia when administered alone. These findings suggest that the induction of amnesia of passive avoidance involves central cholinergic systems, whereas the NEO, and possibly PHYSO, reversal of the SCOP induced amnesia is mediated peripherally by both muscarinic and nicotinic receptors. It is hypothesized that the release of adrenal catecholamines, the influence of which on memory processes is well known, and secondarily glucose, may be responsible for the NEO antagonism of the SCOP amnesia.