Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Cycloheximide affects Memory within Minutes after the Onset of Training

Abstract

WHEN mice are given brief discrimination training in a T-maze following intracerebral or subcutaneous administration of the protein synthesis inhibitors cycloheximide or acetoxycyclo-heximide, their learning curves are indistinguishable from saline-injected controls1,2. Retention measured 3 h after training is also identical in the drug-treated and control groups, but 6 h after training the drug-treated mice exhibit a striking impairment of retention1,2. These results suggested that cerebral protein synthesis is not required for retention for at least 3 h after training. We now report that using an alternative training procedure a cycloheximide-sensitive component of memory storage can be detected within minutes after the beginning of training. This suggests that in some circumstances cerebral protein synthesis may be required for normal expression of memory within minutes after learning has begun.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Squire, L. R., Barondes, S. H., in Macromolecules and Behavior, second ed. (edit. by Gaito, J.) (Appleton-Century-Crofts, New York, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Barondes, S. H., Intern. Rev. Neurobiol., 12, 177 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Squire, L. R., Barondes, S. H., Proc. US Nat. Acad. Sci., 69, 1416 (1972).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Barondes, S. H., Cohen, H. D., Proc. US Nat. Acad. Sci., 58, 157 (1967).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Segal, D. S., Squire, L. R., Barondes, S. H., Science, 172, 82 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Squire, L. R., Geller, A., Jarvik, M. E., Commun. Behav. Biol., 5, 249 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Agranoff, B. A., in Animal Memory (edit. by Honig, W. K., and James, P. H. R.) (Academic Press, New York, 1971).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Daniels, D., J. Comp. Physiol. Psychol., 76, 110 (1971).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Serota, R. G., Proc. US Nat. Acad. Sci., 68, 1249 (1971).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Winer, B. J., Statistical Principles in Experimental Design (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1962).

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

SQUIRE, L., SMITH, G. & BARONDES, S. Cycloheximide affects Memory within Minutes after the Onset of Training. Nature 242, 201–202 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1038/242201a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/242201a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing