Dopamine and Norepinephrine Transporter Inhibition for Long-Term Fear Memory Enhancement.

We examined the effects of the high affinity NET inhibitors atomoxetine or nisoxetine and the low affinity DAT inhibitor bupropion, either alone or in combination, on short- and long-term memory of Pavlovian fear conditioning. We also examined the addiction-related effects of combined strong NET and weak DAT inhibition using conditioned place preference and a locomotor activity test. While atomoxetine or nisoxetine alone enhanced short-term fear memory, the addition of bupropion was required to significantly enhance long-term fear memory. Additionally, combined atomoxetine and bupropion did not produce substantial motor stimulation or place preference. These findings suggest that combining strong NET and weak DAT inhibition could lead to the development of a highly effective cognitive enhancer that lacks the potential for addiction. PMID: 31580915 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Behavioural Brain Research - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Behav Brain Res Source Type: research