Spatial memory and NGF levels in aged rats: Natural variability and effects of acetyl-l-carnitine treatment
| Autor: | Alessandro Giuliani, Orlando Ghirardi, Giulio Taglialatela, Antonio Caprioli |
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| Rok vydání: | 1996 |
| Předmět: |
Male
Aging medicine.medical_specialty Morris water navigation task Biology Biochemistry Endocrinology Memory Internal medicine Genetics Acetyl-L-carnitine medicine Animals State dependence Nerve Growth Factors Natural variability Molecular Biology Brain Chemistry Basal forebrain Cell Biology Rats Inbred F344 Rats Nerve growth factor Spatial learning Acetylcarnitine |
| Zdroj: | Experimental Gerontology. 31:577-587 |
| ISSN: | 0531-5565 |
| DOI: | 10.1016/0531-5565(96)00052-6 |
| Popis: | The natural variability of behavioral performance of aged rats was used to evaluate the effect of acetyl- l -camitine (ALCAR) on spatial learning and NGF levels in different brain areas. We used a cluster analysis procedure to subdivide the aged animals into three classes of performance (good, intermediate, and poor). These three classes were equally subdivided into controls and ALCAR-treated animals in order to investigate its effect on spatial retention. The stratification of animals prior to treatment allowed us to highlight the state dependency of the action of ALCAR. The effect of the molecule in improving spatial retention was evident only in the intermediate performance group. Furthermore, the drug reduced the NGF levels in the basal forebrain of treated animals, especially in the intermediate performance group. These results suggest a performance-dependent effect of ALCAR and a nonlinear relationship between NGF levels and learning ability in aged rats. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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