engleski

The influence of lecithin, arecoline and piracetam on the passive avoidance in rats with nucleus basalis equivalent lesions

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by progresive loss of memory The cholinergic cells of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) have recently been found to degenerate in AD and are thought to be at least partly responsible for the cognitive deficits which are main characteristics of this disease. Intact cholinergic system is a prerequisite to unimpaired performance in learning and memory tasks. Because lesions of NBM reduce memory, it was of interest to study the effect of various cholinergics or nootropic drug-piracetam on the passive avoidance acquisition in the rat with bilateral electrolytic lesions of NBM equivalent. Drugs used were: lecithin (3, 2x10-4 mol/kg i.p.), arecoline (6, 4x10-6 mol/kg i.p.), piracetam (1, 4x10-2 mol/kg i.p.), piracetam (1, 4x10-2 mol/kg i.p.) + arecoline (6, 4x10-6 mol/kg i.p.) and piracetam (1, 4x10-2 mol/kg i.p.) + lecithin (3, 2x10-4 mol/kg i.p.). NBM lesions significantly impaired the passive avoidance acquisition related to the control group. The avoidance acquisition deficit was improved by arecoline or lecithin or by lecithin with piracetam or by arecoline with piracetam while piracetam alone didn't influence it significantly.

Alzheimer; NBM lesions; passive avoidance; lecithin; arecoline; piracetam; rat

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