title: Oxiracetam prevents mecamylamine-induced impairment of active, but not passive, avoidance learning in mice.
abstract: The nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine (2.5 and 5 mg/kg/IP) depressed both active (shuttle-box) and passive (step-through) avoidance learning in mice of the DBA/2 strain. The nootropic drug oxiracetam (50 and 100 mg/kg/IP) improved acquisition in the multitrial active avoidance test, but had no effect on one-trial passive avoidance learning. When the two drugs were combined, oxiracetam did not counteract mecamylamine-induced impairment of passive avoidance learning, even if it maintained a facilitating action on shuttle-box avoidance acquisition in mice receiving the nicotinic receptor blocker. Prevention of mecamylamine-induced shuttle-box avoidance depression by oxiracetam indicates that central nicotinic mechanisms are probably involved in the improving effects exerted by nootropic drugs on learning.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Psicobiologia e Psicofarmacologia, CNR, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sansone
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castellano
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Battaglia
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ammassari-Teule
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008297:Male; D008464:Mecamylamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D018733:Nicotinic Antagonists; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D011759:Pyrrolidines; D008464:Mecamylamine; C040619:oxiracetam