title: Effects of nefiracetam on deficits in active avoidance response and hippocampal cholinergic and monoaminergic dysfunctions induced by AF64A in mice.
abstract: The effects of nefiracetam [DM-9384; N-(2,6-dimethyl-phenyl)-2-(2-oxo-pyrrolidinyl)acetamide] and of phosphatidylcholine on a step-up active avoidance response, locomotor activities and regional brain cholinergic and monoaminergic neurotransmitters in AF64A-treated mice were investigated. Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of AF64A (ethylcholine mustard aziridinium ion; 8 nmol/ventricle) impaired acquisition and retention of the avoidance task, and increased vertical and horizontal locomotor activities. Regional levels of acetylcholine, noradrenaline, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were significantly decreased and homovanillic acid (HVA) levels were increased in the hippocampus but not in the septum, cerebral cortex or striatum of AF64A-treated animals. Administration of nefiracetam (3 mg/kg, p.o.) twice daily for 9 days to AF64A-treated animals ameliorated the deficit in active avoidance response in addition to attenuating the increase in locomotor activities. In parallel with these behavioural effects, nefiracetam reversed AF64A-induced alterations in the hippocampal profiles of cholinergic and monoaminergic neurotransmitters and their metabolites. In contrast, administration of phosphatidylcholine (30 mg/kg, p.o.) twice daily for 9 days had no significant effect on the deficit in active avoidance response, despite significantly reversing the decrease in acetylcholine levels in the hippocampus. These results indicate that the effects of nefiracetam on AF64A-induced behavioural deficits are probably due to its ability to facilitate both cholinergic and monoaminergic neurotransmitter systems.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Dentistry, Iwate Medical University, Morioka, Japan.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Murai
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takasu
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shiotani
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tachizawa
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Itoh
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001388:Aziridines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity*; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000502:physiology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D002794:Choline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D004597:Electroshock; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011897:Random Allocation; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D001388:Aziridines; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; C058876:nefiracetam; C044894:ethylcholine aziridinium; D002794:Choline; D000109:Acetylcholine