title: Improvement of impaired brain monoamine metabolism by the cognition-enhancing agent nefiracetam after microsphere-induced cerebral embolism in rats.
abstract: Nefiracetam (N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-2-(2-oxo-1-pyrrolidinyl) acetamide DM-9384, CAS 77191-36-7), a pyrrolidone (cyclic GABA) derivative, is a newly developed cognition-enhancing (nootropic) agent. In the present study, the effects of nefiracetam on cerebral monoamine metabolism in rats after microsphere-induced cerebral embolism have been examined. For cerebral embolization, microspheres were injected into the left internal carotid artery. Nefiracetam (3, 10 and 30 mg/kg p.o.) was administered daily to the animals for 13 days from the 9th day after the operation. The levels of DA, DOPAC and HVA in the control (embolism-induced, but untreated) group were significantly decreased compared with those of the normal (non-operated) group. In animals treated with nefiracetam (3 mg/kg p.o.), these monoamine levels were higher than controls in the cortex and hippocampus, whereas they were not significantly changed in the striatum. 5-HT contents in the control group significantly decreased from normal levels in the cortex and hippocampus, on which nefiracetam at various doses had no effect. The levels of 5-HIAA in the control group also decreased, which were, however, significantly increased by 3 mg/kg of nefiracetam. The results suggest that nefiracetam has improving actions on the dysfunction of the dopaminergic and serotonergic systems induced by cerebral embolism.
authors.affiliation: Exploratory Research Laboratories II, Daiichi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watabe
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kojima
mesh_terms: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D002542:Intracranial Embolism and Thrombosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008863:Microspheres; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; C058876:nefiracetam; D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D004298:Dopamine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid