engleski

Lecithin and arecoline improve the passive avoidance behavior in nucleus basalis-lesioned rats

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dose-response relationship between various doses of lecithin or arecoline and the passive avoidance behaviour in the nbM-lesioned rats. The study was carried out on Wistar albino rats. All animals were randomly divided in 11 groups. The absolute control group was subjected to the passive avoidance test according to the procedure by Ashford and Jones. All remaining animals were bilaterally nbM-lesioned. Each animal was subjected to the behaviour test after a 15-day postoperative recovery period. The passive avoidance behavior in the nbM-lesioned rats under the influence of various drugs was measured. The control animals received 0.9% NaCl solution 10 min or 1 h before the passive avoidance experiment started. Other rats received different doses of lecithin or arecoline hydrochloride. The results showed that bilateral electrolytic lesions of the nbM impaired the passive avoidance behavior in rats. A progressive increase of the passive avoidance behavior in the nbM-lesioned rats was also observed. Therefore, it was suggested that not only the nbM activity but other cholinergic and noncholinergic mechanisms of the central nervous system are also involved in memory processes. Lecithin and arecoline improved the passive avoidance behavior in the nbM-lesioned rats in the dose-dependent manner. These results confirmed the idea that memory deficits induced by the nbM-lesions in rats can be antagonized by cholinergic drug administration.

cholinomimetics; passive avoidance behavior; nucleus basalis-lesioned rats

Rad je prezentiran na skupu Pharmacological Interventions on Central Cholinergic Mechanisms in Senile Dementia (Alzheimer's Disease), Interdisciplinary Symposium to the IV. World Conference on Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics ; održanom od 28.-30.07.1989.g., Berlin, Njemačka ; H.Kewitz, T.Thomsen, U.Bickel (ur.) ; München, 1990. ; ISBN 3-88603-362-7.