Figure 6. Antisense Fos ODN tested on consolidation and retrieval of object recognition memory, and object-in-place recognition memory.

Recognition memory was tested after bilateral perirhinal infusion of sense Fos (control) ODN (light grey) or antisense Fos ODN (dark grey). With a 24 h memory delay period, antisense Fos ODN impaired familiarity discrimination when it was administered just after acquisition (consolidation) but not if the infusion was before the test phase (retrieval). Antisense ODN also impaired object-in-place performance at a 3 h delay. All groups receiving sense Fos ODN infusions showed significant discrimination (DR>0) denoted by O. Within subject ANOVA treatment difference: * p < 0.05. One-sample t-test of DR value against zero: O p < 0.05. Following administration of sense Fos ODN there was no significant difference between discrimination levels (DR values: ANOVA, p>0.05) for each of experiments shown. The order that the experiments were run was (1) object-in-place, (2) consolidation and (3) retrieval. The finding that memory was unimpaired in the last experiment even though it was impaired in the first two experiments indicates that the ability to acquire new recognition memories was not permanently impaired by the previous antisense Fos ODN infusions.