en Learning and Memory Neurophysiology/Pharmacology Experimental research article Experimental research article <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Introduction: </b><font face="Arial,Arial"><font face="Arial,Arial">Protein kinase M zeta (PKM&zeta;) is assumed to be actively involved in retainig long-term potentiation. The goal of this study was to investigate the role of PKM&zeta; in basolateral amygdala (BLA) upon acquisition, consolidation, retention and retrieval of memory using a specific inhibitor of PKM&zeta;. <span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Methods: </b><font face="Arial,Arial"><font face="Arial,Arial">Sixty male wistar rats underwent stereotaxic surgery and were cannulated bilaterally at the BLA nucleus. Then animals were divided into 4 groups of receiving BLA microinjection of zeta inhibitory peptide (ZIP) in different time courses: 30 min before and after training, 30 min before the testing (on the day after the learning) and 30 min after testing (but testing 10 days later). Memory was assessed using step through passive avoidance. <span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Results: </b><font face="Arial,Arial"><font face="Arial,Arial">ZIP infusion in BLA had no significant change on acquisition (</font></font><i><font face="Arial,Arial"><font face="Arial,Arial">P</font></font></i><font face="Arial,Arial"><font face="Arial,Arial">=0.06), however significantly impaired consolidation, retrieval and maintenance of passive avoidance memory (</font></font><i><font face="Arial,Arial"><font face="Arial,Arial">P</font></font></i><font face="Arial,Arial"><font face="Arial,Arial">=0.012). <span style="font-size: 12px;"><b>Conclusion: </b><font face="Arial,Arial"><font face="Arial,Arial">Findings indicate that PKM&zeta; activity in the BLA plays an important role in retaining amygdala dependent avoidance memory interfering the process of consolidation, retrieval and maintenance of learned task.</font></font></span></font></font></span></font></font></span></font></font></span></span></p> Protein kinase Mζ(PKMζ) , Learning, Fear memory ,zeta inhibitory peptide (ZIP) 206 215 http://ppj.phypha.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-369-3&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Bentolhoda Amirshabani Hoda.amirshabani94@gmail.com 3200319475328460018181 3200319475328460018181 No Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran Mohammad Rostampoor rost_v@yahoo.com 3200319475328460018182 3200319475328460018182 No Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran Parvin Babaei p_babaei@yahoo.com 3200319475328460018183 3200319475328460018183 Yes Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran