Involvement of the amygdala in the memory-enhancing effects of clenbuterol.

Male Sprague Dawley rats with stria terminalis (ST) or sham lesions were trained in an inhibitory avoidance task, injected immediately post-training with clenbuterol hydrochloride (0.03 mg/kg; IP), and tested for retention 48 h later. Clenbuterol enhanced retention of the sham-lesioned animals but did not affect retention of the ST-lesioned animals. Clenbuterol injected intraamygdally immediately after training also enhanced retention of the inhibitory avoidance task. These results agree with other evidence suggesting the participation of beta-noradrenergic mechanisms in the amygdala in the modulation of memory storage.