ABSTRACT
We examined the effects of epicatechin (Epi), a flavonoid abundant in green tea and cocoa, on long-term memory (LTM) formed following conditioned taste aversion (CTA) training in Lymnaea stagnalis. In CTA training, the snails learnt to avoid a food that initially they liked (i.e. sucrose). Twenty-four hours after CTA training, 67% of the trained snails showed a significant decrease in the feeding behaviour elicited by sucrose. Placing snails in the Epi solution in CTA training did not alter the percentage of snails exhibiting LTM, but it significantly increased LTM persistence. We also examined changes following Epi exposure in spontaneous activity of the cerebral giant cells (CGCs) that modulate feeding behaviour and are necessary for CTA-LTM. Our data suggest that Epi causes a decrease in CGC activity and increases LTM persistence, possibly via a GABAergic mechanism.
Footnotes
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing or financial interests.
Author contributions
Conceptualization: M.S.; Methodology: K.L., M.S.; Formal analysis: Y.K.; Investigation: A.I., Y.K.; Data curation: A.I., Y.K.; Writing - original draft: M.S.; Writing - review & editing: K.L.; Visualization: A.I., Y.K.; Supervision: M.S.; Project administration: M.S.; Funding acquisition: M.S.
Funding
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
- Received September 22, 2020.
- Accepted December 15, 2020.
- © 2021. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd
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