Anesth Pain Med.  2011 Jan;6(1):54-58.

The effects of superior cervical ganglionectomy on the ability of spatial memory using radial arm maze in the rats

• Cho EJ
• Park CM

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Stress, elevated sympathetic nervous system, glucocorticoid concentration affect learning and memory. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of superior cervical ganglionectomy on the spatial memory using radial arm maze test.
METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Rats were divided into two groups: a superior cervical ganglionectomy group and a control group. Each rat was put into the radial arm maze two times per day for 4 days. We checked the number of the total visit, the total error, the reference memory error, the working memory error. And then a superior cervical ganglionectomy group received bilateral superior cervical ganglionectomy, and a control group received a sham operation. The radial arm maze test was then repeated and we evaluated the effect of superior cervical ganglionectomy on spatial memory.
RESULTS
There were no significant differences in ratio of total error, reference memory error, and working memory error.
CONCLUSIONS
Bilateral superior cervical ganglionectomy in rats does not effect the spatial memory. However, further studies are needed to determine the effect of superior cervical ganglionectomy on spatial memory.

Keyword

Spatial memory; Stress; Superior cervical ganglionectomy

MeSH Terms

Animals
Arm
Ganglionectomy
Humans
Learning
Male
Memory
Memory, Short-Term
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Salicylamides
Sympathetic Nervous System
Salicylamides