Increased dopaminergic signaling impairs aversive olfactory memory retention in Drosophila

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2008 May 23;370(1):82-6. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.03.015. Epub 2008 Mar 13.

Abstract

Dopamine is necessary for the aversive olfactory associative memory formation in Drosophila, but its effect on other stages of memory is not known. Herein, we studied the effect of enhanced dopaminergic signaling on aversive olfactory memory retention in flies. We used l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA) to elevate dopamine levels: l-DOPA-treated flies exhibited a normal learning performance, but a decrease in 1-h memory. Dopamine transporter (DAT) mutant flies or flies treated with the DAT inhibitor desipramine exhibited poor memory retention. Flies subjected to heat stress after training exhibited a decrease in memory. Memory was restored by blocking dopaminergic neuronal output during heat stress, suggesting that dopamine is involved in heat stress-induced memory impairment in flies. Taken together, our findings suggest that increased dopaminergic signaling impairs aversive olfactory memory retention in flies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Desipramine / pharmacology
  • Dopamine / metabolism*
  • Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism
  • Drosophila Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism
  • Drosophila melanogaster / drug effects
  • Drosophila melanogaster / metabolism
  • Drosophila melanogaster / physiology*
  • Levodopa / pharmacology
  • Memory* / drug effects
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Signal Transduction
  • Smell* / drug effects

Substances

  • DAT protein, Drosophila
  • Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Levodopa
  • Desipramine
  • Dopamine