On the role of the dopaminergic system in the memory deficits induced by maternal deprivation.

Abstract Previous researches showed that maternal deprivation (MD) leads to memory deficits that persist until adulthood. The hippocampus, an important brain structure involved in memory processes, receives dopaminergic afferents from other brain areas that modulate memory. Here we demonstrated that MD results in object recognition memory deficits that are reverted by intra-hippocampal stimulation of D1-dopaminergic receptor and peripheral administration of a dopamine precursor. The D1-dopaminergic receptor and peripheral administration of a dopamine precursor also promoted memory persistence in control rats.