lary secretion may be important for mcm- ory modulation as a cooperative or con- comitant factor.

Drugs that affect t le functioning of the symprthoadrenal system. such as tyramine and guanethidine, may alter memory when given shortly before or after training”. To this list we may have to add D amphetamine, long believed to be a sub stance that exerted rts behavioral effects centrally. The post&mung i.p. administra tion of 220-330 pg per rat of D amphetamine sulfate improved retention of a task similar to the oae described above; the i.c.v. administration of SO-500 pg per rat, however, had no effect on memory, even though it was able to induce dose dependent changes in locomotor activity’. This clearly separates the memory- enhancing effect of amphetamine from its

general rcntral stimulant action. and xug- gestx that the former is not crntmlly medi- ated. In animals pretreated with 6- OH-dopamine t.v., which reduced heart hut not brain noradrenaline levels by 7587%. there was a four-fold increase in sensitivity to the memory enhancing effect of i.p. amphetamine which may be explained of course. by peripheral nor- adrenaline receptor supersensitivity~.

Taken together, these tindings suggest an important role for the sympathoadrenal system in the modulation of memory con- solidation and the effect of drugs there- upon Whether this role is mediated by reflex changes in brain activity caused by vascular changes or by some other factor. is not known. Selective penetration of the amines at restricted brsin sites, such as the area postrema. cannot be ruled OCI’.

News from the BUPHAR section on toxicology At the July 1981 General Meeting, the fol- lowing indimriduals were elected IO the Executive Board: Chairman - G. L. Plaa (Canada); Vice-Chairman - F. Sakai (Japan); Secretary-D. S. Davies (U.K.); Treasurer-G. C. Petri (Italy); Councillors - E. Alhawa (Finland), J. R. Gillette (U.S.A.), J. A. Castro (Argentina), 0. Benesova (Czechoslovakia) and F. Oesch (F.R.G.).

The Section has grown considerably in membership since its inception; there am now 542 members. In the past, only adher- ents of an IUPHAR society could join the Section. However, Article 3 of the bye laws of the Section was amended and the Executive Board can now accept as Mem hers of the Section on Toxicology qualified scientists who are not members of an IUPHAR society. Such applications are evaluated on the basis of a curriculum vitae and must be approved by a two-thirds

majority of the Executive Board. The Section has sponsored or cospon-

sored several scientific activities in the last 3 years: Workshop on Rat EEG (Zurich); Symposium on Chemical Indices and Mechanisms of Organ Directed Toxicity (Barcelona); Workshop on the Application of Behavioral Pharmacology and Toxicol- ogy (Capri). All were very successful.

Professors Zbinden and Davies completed a toxicology lecture+xpertise tour in Chile and Argentina in October-November I98 I. This tour was sponsored by IUPHAR as a responsibility of the Section on Toxicol- ogy. The programme was very well received and the Section would like IO pres- ent a similar one elsewhere in the future. Anyone wishing to propose such an educa tional exercise should contact the Chairman or the Secretary.

The Executive Board is presently in communication with the Programmr

Committee oi the 1984 IUPHAR Conpre\s regarding symposia and lectures on to~tcol- ogy for inclusion in the London Congress. A number of excellent tttlrs have heen submitted for constderatinn.

The Section is interestsd in supp,ninp locally orgmized norkxhops. regtonal meetings and educational activities ot rori- colopical mterest. Some veq hmited financial &stance is avadahle. Interested parttrs should snd a brief outline of then proposal 1%) the Chairman or Secrerdr! lor consideratton.

Addres,es: Pr,>f. G. L. Ptaa. Faculrr dch titudes \up&ieurex. Universitr de Xlontreal. C.P. hl28. 5uccursals .a. Monrredl. Quebec, Canada H3C 357. Prof. D. S. Davies. Department of C~illli‘d~ Phar- macolog> Royal Postgraduate Xlcdtcal School. Ducane Road. London WI? OHS. U.K.