Acetoxycycloheximide-induced transient amnesia: protective effects of adrenergic stimulants.

It has previously been shown that rats trained 5 hr after intracerebral injection of acetoxycycloheximide show a transient amnesia at 24 hr after training. We have tested the possibility that adrenergic stimulants might provide protection from the amnesia. Metaraminol, given either before or after training or before testing, prevents the drug-induced amnesia. D-Amphetamine, injected soon after training, also prevents the amnesia. A model is presented to explain the drug-induced amnesia in terms of both the assumed effect of acetoxycycloheximide on the adrenergic system and prevention of the amnesia by metaraminol and D-amphetamine.