title: The long-term effects of nefiracetam on learning in older rabbits.
abstract: Classical conditioning of the nictitating membrane (NM)/eyeblink response has proven utility in the study of age-related memory disorders. The 750 ms delay eyeblink conditioning procedure was used to investigate the magnitude and duration of the nootropic drug nefiracetam's effect on retention and relearning. After administering daily injections of 0 (vehicle), 5, 10, or 15 mg/kg nefiracetam to 34 retired breeder rabbits during 15 days of acquisition, we tested retention and relearning 1, 5, and 12 weeks post-training. Rabbits received no drug after the initial 15 daily injections. Significant relearning was observed in the 10 mg/kg nefiracetam group 1 and 5 weeks after initial acquisition. Differences in tone-alone retention did not achieve statistical significance, although responses were numerically greater in the 10 mg/kg nefiracetam group. The effect of nefiracetam upon the ability of older rabbits to relearn a previously learned task is apparent up to 5 weeks after drug administration. Under normal conditions, a drug is administered continuously. In this experiment, nefiracetam had a significant effect long after drug administration had ceased. Prolonged administration of nefiracetam may have ameliorating effects greater than those observed in only 15 days of drug administration.
authors.affiliation: Research and Technology Development, Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, Korman Suite 100, 5501 Old York Road, Philadelphia, PA 19141, USA. woodrufd@einstein.edu
authors.forename: Diana S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Woodruff-Pak
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Jonathan T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Pak
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shiotani
authors.forename: Shigeo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watabe
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000818:Animals; D001767:Blinking / Q000187:drug effects; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D018697:Nootropic Agents; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; C058876:nefiracetam