Combined stimulation of the glycine and polyamine sites of the NMDA receptor attenuates NMDA blockade-induced learning deficits of rats in a 14-unit T-maze

 The present study examined the effects of multi-site activation of the glycine and polyamine sites of the NMDA receptor on memory formation in rats learning a 14-unit T-maze task. The competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, (±)-3-(2-carboxypiperazine-4-yl)-propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP, 9 mg/kg), was used to impair learning. The objectives were two-fold: (1) to investigate the effects of independent stimulation of the strychnine-insensitive glycine site or the polyamine site; (2) to investigate the effects of simultaneous activation of these two sites. Male, Fischer-344 rats were pretrained to a criterion of 13 out of 15 shock avoidances in a straight runway, and 24 h later were trained in a 14-unit T-maze that also required shock avoidance. Prior to maze training, rats received intraperitoneal (IP) injections of saline, saline plus CPP, CPP plus the glycine agonist, D-cycloserine (DCS, 30 or 40 mg/kg), CPP plus the polyamine agonist, spermine (SPM, 2.5 or 5 mg/kg), or CPP plus a combination of DCS (7.5 mg/kg) and SPM (0.625 mg/kg). Individual administration of either DCS or SPM attenuated the CPP-induced maze learning impairment in a dose-dependent manner. However, the combined treatment with both DCS and SPM completely reversed the learning deficit at doses five-fold less than either drug given alone. These findings provide additional evidence that the glycine and polyamine modulatory sites of the NMDA receptor are involved in memory formation. Furthermore, the potent synergistic effect resulting from combined activation of the glycine and polyamine sites would suggest a stronger interaction between these two sites than previously considered, and might provide new therapeutic approaches for enhancing glutamatergic function. Received: 9 May 1997/Final version: 13 August 1997