title: Statins enhance cognitive performance in object location test in albino Swiss mice: involvement of beta-adrenoceptors.
abstract: Statins are inhibitors of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, thereby inhibiting cell synthesis of cholesterol and isoprenoids. Moreover, several studies have been evaluating pleiotropic effects of statins, mainly because they present neuroprotective effects in various pathological conditions. However, knowledge about behavioral effects of statins per se is relatively scarce. Considering these facts, we aimed to analyze behavioral responses of atorvastatin or simvastatin-treated mice in the open field test, elevated plus maze and object location test. Atorvastatin treatment for 7 consecutive days at 1 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg (v.o.) or simvastatin 10 mg/kg or 20 mg/kg enhanced cognitive performance in object location test when compared to control group (saline-treated mice). Simvastatin effects on mice performance in the object location test was abolished by post-training infusion of the beta-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol. Atorvastatin and simvastatin did not change the behavioral response in open field and elevated plus-maze (EPM) tests in any of the used doses. These data demonstrate the positive effects of both statins in cognitive processes in mice, without any alteration in locomotor parameters in the open field test or anxiolytic-like behavior in EPM. In conclusion, we demonstrate that atorvastatin and simvastatin per se improve the cognitive performance in a rodent model of spatial memory and this effect is related to beta-adrenergic receptors modulation.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Boa Esperança, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vandresen-Filho
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Boa Esperança, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucas Moreira
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: França
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Boa Esperança, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Alcantara-Junior
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Boa Esperança, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucas Caixeta
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Boa Esperança, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thiago Marques
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: de Brito
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Boa Esperança, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lousã
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Boa Esperança, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando Mesquita
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Junior
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Básicas em Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Boa Esperança, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Luzinete
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Vanzeler
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniela Bohn
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Bertoldo
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Laboratório de Genética do Comportamento, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Embriologia e Genética, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paula Gomes
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: André R S
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Colla
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hoeller
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duzzioni
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Lúcia S
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacologia, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thereza C M
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade, 88040-900 Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla Inês
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Tasca
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Trindade, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil. Electronic address: giorgviola@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Giordano Gubert
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Viola
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology; D011897:Random Allocation; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D011433:Propranolol
keywords: Ethology; Exploratory behavior; Rodent; Spatial memory; Statins; Strain