Chronic ethanol ingestion selectively affects memory modulation in rats

ABSTRACT

Post-training treatment alters memory by different mechanisms. Naloxone enhances memory by antagonism of endogenous ß-endorphin-induced state dependency. Epinephrine facilitates consolidation at low doses and generates state dependency at high doses. Exposure to a session of tones causes retroactive interference through a cognitive effect. The present data show that chronic ethanol ingestion, in rats, inhibited the post-training effect of naloxone and of a high dose of epinephrine on the retention of an inhibitory avoidance task but did not inhibit retrograde interference by a session of tones or retrograde facilitation by a low dose of epinephrine. Therefore, ethanol appers to selectively affect post-training influences related to state dependency