The effect of posttraining injection of Dopamine and Norepinephrine into the amygdala on retention of passive avoidance training in rats

The intracranial injection of norepinephrine into the amygdala produces amnesia of passive avoidance training in rats. The intracranial injection of dopamine fails to produce retention defecits of passive avoidance training. Since both of these neurotransmitters are inhibitors of neural firing in the amygdala, the contrasting effects produce by norepinephrine and dopamine on passive avoidance training supports a neurochemical specific system for memory processing or encoding in the amygdala.