Reversible inactivation of the median raphe nucleus enhances consolidation and retrieval but not acquisition of passive avoidance learning in rats

Involvement of median raphe nucleus (MRN) in acquisition, consolidation and retrieval of passive avoidance (PA) was investigated with functional suppression of this area by lidocaine. Rats carrying a chronically implanted cannula aimed at the MRN were trained on a step-through passive avoidance task and received intra-MRN injection of lidocaine or saline 5 min before training or 5, 90 and 360 min after acquisition trial or 5 min before the retrieval test. Lidocaine MRN inactivation had no effect on PA learning. Lidocaine injected 5 and 90 min after the acquisition trial significantly enhanced avoidance of the dark compartment in comparison with the control group injected with saline. But PA retention was not affected by lidocaine injected 360 min after acquisition or 5 min before training. Retention latency significantly increased, when lidocaine injected 5 min before retrieval test. Step-through latency of naive rats was not affected by MRN blockade. Furthermore, reversible inactivation of MRN did not have a significant effect on locomotor activity. Our results indicate that the MRN contributes to PA consolidation at least until 90 min after acquisition and involves in PA retrieval. It is concluded that functional ablation of the MRN may disrupt the inhibitory actions of MRN projections to sub-cortical circuits participating in PA memorization and retrieval.