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Studies have shown that an injection with the histamine H4 receptor agonist VUF-8430 modulates emotional memory processes. In the present study, the aim was to verify if intraperitoneal (ip) injection of VUF-8430 (500 ng/kg) in mice affects the synthesis of proteins required for memory consolidation processes by activating the phosphorylation of CREB (pCREB) in classical structures linked to emotional memory (prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus) and the cerebellar vermis, a structure that has also been recently implicated in emotional memory. The results obtained using western blot analysis demonstrated that VUF-8430 induced a decrease in CREB and pCREB levels in the cerebellar vermis and prefrontal cortex, suggesting that this dose impaired the activation of cell signaling pathways in these structures. There was no change in protein expression in the amygdala and hippocampus. Our results are preliminary, and further investigations are needed to investigate the role of the H4 receptors in the central nervous system.

This study investigated the effects of histamine H1 or H2 receptor antagonists on emotional memory consolidation in mice submitted to the elevated plus maze (EPM). The cerebellar vermis of male mice (Swiss albino) was implanted using a cannula guide. Three days after recovery, behavioral tests were performed in the EPM on 2 consecutive days (T1 and T2). Immediately after exposure to the EPM (T1), animals received a microinjection of saline (SAL) or the H1 antagonist chlorpheniramine (CPA; 0.016, 0.052, or 0.16 nmol/0.1 µL) in Experiment 1, and SAL or the H2 antagonist ranitidine (RA; 0.57, 2.85, or 5.7 nmol/0.1 µL) in Experiment 2. Twenty-four hours later, mice were reexposed to the EPM (T2) under the same experimental conditions but they did not receive any injection. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and the Duncan test. In Experiment 1, mice microinjected with SAL and with CPA entered the open arms less often (%OAE) and spent less time in the open arms (%OAT) in T2, and there was no difference among groups. The results of Experiment 2 demonstrated that the values of %OAE and %OAT in T2 were lower compared to T1 for the groups that were microinjected with SAL and 2.85 nmol/0.1 µL RA. However, when animals were microinjected with 5.7 nmol/0.1 µL RA, they did not show a reduction in %OAE and %OAT. These results demonstrate that CPA did not affect behavior at the doses used in this study, while 5.7 nmol/0.1 µL RA induced impairment of memory consolidation in the EPM.

This study investigated the role of amygdala H(1) receptors in state-dependent memory deficits induced by l-histidine (LH). Tests using an elevated plus-maze (EPM) were performed on two consecutive days: Trial 1 (T1) and Trial 2 (T2). Before each trial, mice were intraperitoneally (IP) injected with LH (500mg/kg). Two hours later, they were microinjected with the H(1) receptor antagonist, chlorpheniramine (CPA 0.016, 0.052, or 0.16 nmol/0.1μl), or saline (SAL) into the amygdala and submitted to the EPM. LH-CPA did not affect trial 1 performances in the EPM, which indicated that these drugs did not affect anxiety. Emotional memory, as revealed by a reduction in open arm exploration between both trials, was present in the SAL-SAL groups as well as in the SAL-CPA groups for the lower doses of CPA (0.016 and 0.052nmol). On the contrary, neither the LH-SAL group nor the LH-CPA groups exhibited this decrease in open arm activity between both trials, which reveals that LH impaired emotional memory. While intra-amygdalar CPA did not interact with LH effect, it impaired per se the emotional memory performances at the highest dose (0.16nmol). No significant changes were observed in the number of enclosed arm entries (EAE), an EPM index of general exploratory activity. These results may be attributed to a combined effect in the different nucleus of the amygdala. Taken together, these results suggest that the H(1) receptors in the amygdala are not implicated in anxiety-like behaviors but are involved in emotional states induced by the T1/T2 EPM protocol in mice., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The effects of L-histidine (LH) on anxiety and memory retrieval were investigated in adult male Swiss Albino mice (weight 30-35 g) using the elevated plus-maze. The test was performed on two consecutive days: trial 1 (T1) and trial 2 (T2). In T1, mice received an intraperitoneal injection of saline (SAL) or LH before the test and were then injected again and retested 24 h later. LH had no effect on anxiety at the dose of 200 mg/kg since there was no difference between the SAL-SAL and LH-LH groups at T1 regarding open-arm entries (OAE) and open-arm time (OAT) (mean +/- SEM; OAE: 4.0 +/- 0.71, 4.80 +/- 1.05; OAT: 40.55 +/- 9.90, 51.55 +/- 12.10, respectively; P > 0.05, Kruskal-Wallis test), or at the dose of 500 mg/kg (OAE: 5.27 +/- 0.73, 4.87 +/- 0.66; OAT: 63.93 +/- 11.72, 63.58 +/- 10.22; P > 0.05, Fisher LSD test). At T2, LH-LH animals did not reduce open-arm activity (OAE and OAT) at the dose of 200 mg/kg (T1: 4.87 +/- 0.66, T2: 5.47 +/- 1.05; T1: 63.58 +/- 10.22; T2: 49.01 +/- 8.43 for OAE and OAT, respectively; P > 0.05, Wilcoxon test) or at the dose of 500 mg/kg (T1: 4.80 +/- 1.60, T2: 4.70 +/- 1.04; T1: 51.55 +/- 12.10, T2: 43.88 +/- 10.64 for OAE and OAT, respectively; P > 0.05, Fisher LSD test), showing an inability to evoke memory 24 h later. These data suggest that LH does not act on anxiety but does induce a state-dependent memory retrieval deficit in mice.