title: Effect of physostigmine and verapamil on active avoidance in an experimental model of Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: The present study was performed to investigate and compare the effect of acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, physostigmine (0.045, 0.060 and 0.075 mg/kg sc, 30 min before the tests) and Ca-antagonist, verapamil (1.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg sc, 30 min before the tests), on two-way active avoidance (AA) learning (acquisition and performance) in nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM)-lesioned rats. Bilateral electrolytic lesions of NBM induced significant decrease of acquisition and performance of AA responses in rats. Physostigmine (0.060 mg/kg) significantly improved only acquisition of AA, while verapamil (2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg) significantly improved both type of AA behavior in NBM-lesioned rats. These results suggest that altered calcium homeostasis might play significant role in pathogenesis of experimental induced Alzheimer's disease (AD) and that administration of calcium antagonist such as verapamil might successfully ameliorate disturbances of learning and memory appeared after lesions of NBM.
authors.affiliation: Immunology Research Center Branislav Janković, Belgrade, FR Yugoslavia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Popović
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Popović
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jovanova-Nesić
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bokonjić
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dobrić
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Kostić
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rosić
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000473:pathology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D010830:Physostigmine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D010830:Physostigmine; D014700:Verapamil