Effect of chronic piracetam on age-related changes of cross-maze exploration in mice.
Normal aging is known to deteriorate memory, spatial orientation, and perceptual recognition. Experiment 1 examined behavioral manifestations of aging by using a cross-maze exploration test in 2-, 6-, and 10-month-old hybrid mice (CBA x C57BL). A decrease in explorative patrolling and an increase in arm reentries, a latency to start and a total time of exploration were found in 10-month-old mice. In Experiment 2, administration of the cognition enhancer piracetam (2-oxo-1-pirrolidone acetamide) (400 mg/kg, IP, once a day for 10 days) enhanced arm patrolling and decreased reentries in 10-month-old mice to the level displayed by the 2-month-old animals. The results suggest that the cross-maze test may be useful for a preliminary screening of antisenescent drugs.
Salimov
R
R
Institute of Pharmacology, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Moscow, Russian Federation.
Salimova
N
N
Shvets
L
L
Shvets
N
N
D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008808:Mice, Inbred CBA; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010889:Piracetam / Q000494:pharmacology*
D018697:Nootropic Agents; D010889:Piracetam