Pregnenolone sulphate (PREGS) affects spatial learning and memory in two different cognitive tasks in adult rats. Influence of the emotional state.

Pregnenolone sulphate (PREGS) is one of the most potent memory-enhancing neurosteroids in rodent learning studies, also involved in the modulation of the emotional state (Valleè et al 2001). Neurosteroids exert an important role as modulators of the neuronal activity by interacting with different receptors or ion channels (Urani et al 1998). Indeed PREGS acts as negative modulator of GABAA- and as positive modulator of NMDA -receptors. Altered levels of PREGS have also been reported during aging and in human neurodegenerative pathologies like Alzheimer’s disease. The aim of this study was to investigate, in adult male rats, the effects of a single injection of PREGS (10 mg/kg s.c.) on: i) o…