Inhibition of hippocampal protein synthesis immediately after nonreinforced retrieval hinders spatial memory retention. (A) Animals with infusion cannulae implanted in the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus were trained during 5 d in the spatial version of the MWM (D1–D5). Twenty-four hours later (D6), animals were randomly assigned to one out of six experimental groups and submitted to a 60-sec probe test in the absence of the escape platform (PT1). Immediately after PT1, animals received intra-CA1 infusions of anisomycin (160 μg/side; ANI) or vehicle (VEH). The black arrow indicates the moment of infusion. Memory retention was assessed in a second 60-sec probe test (PT2) carried out either at 2, 24, or 120 h after PT1. Data are expressed as mean (±SEM) percentage of time swimming in the target quadrant (TQ); **P < 0.01 vs. VEH during PT2 carried out at 24 h (+24 h; t[12] = 3.80) or 120 h (+120 h; t[12] = 3.73) after PT1; P > 0.1 vs. VEH during PT2 carried out 2 h after PT1 (+2 h; t[12] = 1.41). In all cases n = 7 per group. (B) Animals were treated exactly as in A except that PT1 was carried out 120 h (D10) after the last training session. **P < 0.01 vs. VEH during PT2 carried out 24 h after PT1 (+24 h; t[12] = 3.38); *P < 0.05 vs. VEH during PT2 carried out 120 h after PT1 (+120 h; t[12] = 2.51); P > 0.05 vs. VEH during PT2 carried out 2 h after PT1 (+2 h; t[12] = 0.25). In all cases n = 7 per group. (C) Animals with infusion cannulae implanted in the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus were trained during 5 d in the spatial version of the MWM (D1–D5). Twenty-four hours later (D6), animals were randomly assigned to one out of six experimental groups and received intra-CA1 infusions (INF) of anisomycin (160 μg/side; ANI) or vehicle (VEH). The black arrow indicates the moment of infusion. Memory retention was assessed in a 60-sec probe test (PT) carried out at either 2 h (+2 h; P > 0.1 vs. VEH, t[12] = 0.33), 24 h (+24 h; P > 0.1 vs. VEH, t[12] = 0.85), or 120 h (+120 h; P > 0.1 vs. VEH, t[12] = 0.34) after INF. Data are expressed as mean (±SEM) percentage of time swimming in the target quadrant (TQ). In all cases n = 7 per group. (D) Animals were treated exactly as in C except that INF was carried out 120 h (D10) after the last training session; P > 0.1 vs. VEH during a PT carried out at 2 h (+2 h; t[12] = 0.02), 24 h (+24 h; t[12] = 0.79), or 120 h (+120 h; t[12] = 0.26) after INF. In all cases n = 7 per group. (E) Animals with infusion cannulae implanted in the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus were trained during 5 d in the spatial version of the MWM (D1–D5). Twenty-four hours later (D6), animals were randomly assigned to one out of six experimental groups and submitted to a retraining test (RT) in the presence of the escape platform. Immediately after RT, animals received intra-CA1 infusions of anisomycin (160 μg/side; ANI) or vehicle (VEH). The black arrow indicates the moment of infusion. Memory retention was assessed in a probe test (PT) carried out either at 2 h (+2 h; P > 0.1 vs. VEH, t[14] = 0.42), 24 h (+24 h; P > 0.1 vs. VEH, t[14] = 0.01), or 120 h (+120 h; P > 0.1 vs. VEH, t[14] = 1.44) after RT. Data are expressed as mean (±SEM) percentage of time swimming in the target quadrant (TQ). In all cases n = 8 per group. (F) Animals were treated exactly as in E except that RT was carried out 120 h (D10) after the last training session; P > 0.1 vs. VEH during a PT carried out at 2 h (+2 h; t[14] = 0.81), 24 h (+24 h; t[14] = 0.20), or 120 h (+120 h; t[14] = 0.28) after INF. In all cases n = 8 per group.