Intracerebroventricular administration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in adult rats affects analgesia and spontaneous behaviour but not memory retention in a Morris Water Maze task

The present study tested the effects of in vivo administration of brain-der ived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and of its antibody (anti-BDNF) in a Morris Water Maze (MWM) task. Adult male rats were trained for three days in a MW M. At the end of the last training trial, subjects were injected intracereb roventricularly with one of the following: (i) BDNF (24 mu g); (ii) anti-BD NF (25 mu g); or (iii) vehicle (PBS, injection volume 10 mu l). On day 5, s ubjects were tested for memory retention, pain sensitivity and locomotor be haviour. No differences emerged in the MWM as a function of treatment, even with a reduced number of acquisition trials. Nonetheless, BDNF affected bo th pain threshold in the hot-plate test, as well as exploratory behaviour i n the open field test. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights re served.