Ganglioside GQ1b improves spatial learning and memory of rats as measured by the Y-maze and the Morris water maze tests.
Gangliosides are major components of cell membranes and are particularly enriched in the mammalian brain where they represent the major lipid constituents of the neuronal cell surface. In the central nervous system, gangliosides have a close connection to many neurophysiological functions related to neurogenesis, proliferation, synaptogenesis, and synaptic transmission. The previously reported effect of the tetra-sialoganglioside GQ1b in hippocampal CA1 neurons of brain slices showed that GQ1b enhanced ATP-induced long-term potentiation (LTP). However, there has been no clear evidence of the effects of GQ1b on learning and memory as measured using behavioral test. In the present study, we performed the Y-maze and the Morris water maze (MWM) tests to reveal the effects of GQ1b on spatial learning and memory following intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of GQ1b. GQ1b-treated rats showed highly increased performance on the Y-maze and the MWM tests without any significant alteration of basal locomotor activity. Therefore, our behavioral data strongly suggest that GQ1b improves spatial learning and memory in rats. Also, these data support the previous finding that GQ1b treatment in hippocampal CA1 neurons of rodent brain slices increased ATP-induced LTP.
Department of Biological Science, Sungkyunkwan University, 300 Cheoncheon-Dong, Jangan-Gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-Do 440-746, Republic of Korea.
Woo Ram
WR
Jung
Hong Gi
HG
Kim
Kil Lyong
KL
Kim
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects*; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*
D005732:Gangliosides; C039129:GQ1b ganglioside