title: Parecoxib mitigates spatial memory impairment induced by sevoflurane anesthesia in aged rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammation in brain plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment. Anti-inflammatory therapy may thus constitute a novel approach for associated cognitive dysfunction. The present study investigated the effects of parecoxib in the prevention of cognitive impairments induced by sevoflurane in aged rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-six aged rats were divided randomly into three groups: control group (n = 22, sham anesthesia), sevoflurane group (n = 22, received 2% sevoflurane for 5 h) and parecoxib group (n = 22, received intraperitoneal injections of 10 mg/kg parecoxib and then exposed to 2% sevoflurane for 5 h). Spatial learning performance was tested by Morris water maze. The expression of cyclooxygenase-2 protein and ultrastructure of synapse in hippocampus were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sevoflurane anesthesia impaired the spatial learning and memory in aged rats. Compared with sevoflurane group, parecoxib group showed shorter escape latency and more number of crossings over the previous platform area. Furthermore, parecoxib treatment also significantly prevented the synaptic changes induced by sevoflurane.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parecoxib mitigates spatial memory impairment induced by sevoflurane anesthesia in aged rats. The synaptic morphometry change may be one of the mechanisms involved in learning and memory deficit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: X M
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007555:Isoxazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D013569:Synapses / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D007555:Isoxazoles; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D000077149:Sevoflurane; C409945:parecoxib; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2