Long-term acetyl-L-carnitine preserves spatial learning in the senescent rat.
1. Untreated rats of different ages and old rats chronically treated with Acetyl-1-carnitine were subjected to the spatial learning task. 2. For this test, a circular pool filled with milk-opacified water was used. The animals were to reach an escape platform with the aid of visible environmental cues. 3. The experimental results indicated a clear-cut deterioration of the old animal's acquisition ability of a spatial learning task. 4. The long-term treatment (8 months) with Acetyl-1-carnitine was found to antagonize such a deterioration.
Ghirardi
O
O
Biological Research Laboratories, Sigma Tau S.p.A., Rome, Italy.
Milano
S
S
Ramacci
M T
MT
Angelucci
L
L
D000108:Acetylcarnitine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013550:Swimming
D000108:Acetylcarnitine; D002331:Carnitine