title: Effects of flunarizine and nitrendipine on electroconvulsive shock- and clonidine-induced amnesia.
abstract: This study was designed to examine the calcium channel blockers flunarizine and nitrendipine for their ability to prevent electroconvulsive shock (ECS)- or clonidine-induced deterioration of the inhibitory avoidance performance (step-down) in rats. Flunarizine (10 mg/kg) and nitrendipine (40 mg/kg) were found to prevent the ECS- or clonidine-provoked amnesia after oral administration for 12 days. The mechanisms of action of the two drugs are considered. The results of this study further suggest that calcium antagonists might be useful in the treatment of cognitive disorders.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacology of the CNS, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Genkova-Papazova
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Petkova
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lazarova-Bakarova
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boyanova
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Staneva-Stoytcheva
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000633:toxicity; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003000:Clonidine / Q000633:toxicity; D004597:Electroshock / Q000009:adverse effects; D005444:Flunarizine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009568:Nitrendipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D009568:Nitrendipine; D003000:Clonidine; D005444:Flunarizine