Appetitive Pavlovian goal-tracking memory reconsolidation is reduced by both adrenergic and NMDA receptor antagonism

Authors

Lee, J.

Abstract

Rationale Appetitive Pavlovian cues can drive maladaptive reward seeking via stimulus-reward memories. Disrupting memory reconsolidation offers a potential strategy to reduce their influence, but evidence for beta-adrenergic blockade with propranolol is inconsistent across behavioural paradigms, particularly relative to NMDA receptor antagonism. Objectives We tested whether propranolol disrupts reconsolidation of appetitive sucrose memories in a discriminative goal-tracking paradigm, and compared its effects with those of the most commonly used NMDA receptor antagonist, MK-801. Methods Adult Lister hooded rats underwent discriminative Pavlovian conditioning. Thirty minutes before a brief memory reminder (non-reinforced or reinforced), rats received systemic drug treatment or saline control. In study 1, MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg) was administered to male rats. In study 2, propranolol (10 mg/kg) was administered to equal numbers of male and female rats. Goal-tracking was tested drug-free at 1 and 8 days. Results In study 1, MK-801 impaired subsequent discriminated responding at test. These effects were observed not only when reminder was non-reinforced as in previous successful demonstrations, but also with reinforced reminder. In study 2, Propranolol also impaired subsequent goal-tracking, regardless of reminder type, and the effects were consistent across sexes. Conclusions Propranolol can disrupt reconsolidation of appetitive goal-tracking memories to a similar extent as MK-801 under conditions that promote memory destabilisation. These findings demonstrate that beta-adrenergic blockade can impair appetitive memory reconsolidation in a goal-tracking paradigm, challenging prior null findings and revitalising the potential for propranolol-based interventions in maladaptive reward-seeking behaviours.

Preprint server: bioRxiv
The authors list and abstract were imported from bioRxiv on 29 Jun 2026.

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