Age-dependent deficits in radial maze performance in the rat: effect of chronic treatment with acetyl-L-carnitine.
1. An eight-arm radial maze was the experimental model used to investigate spatial learning in rats of different ages and in old rats treated with Acetyl-L-Carnitine. 2. Extramaze visual cues were minimized in order to study the rat's ability to perform using a strategy. 3. The experimental findings indicated a deterioration of the old rat's ability to learn and solve the radial maze. 4. Long-term treatment (8 months) with Acetyl-L-Carnitine was found to antagonize such a deterioration.
Caprioli
A
A
Biological Research Laboratories, Sigma Tau S.p.A., Rome, Italy.
Ghirardi
O
O
Ramacci
M T
MT
Angelucci
L
L
D000108:Acetylcarnitine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D002331:Carnitine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012016:Reference Values
D000108:Acetylcarnitine; D002331:Carnitine