Effects of vinconate on spatial learning impairments induced by medial septal lesion in rats

Life Sci. 1992;51(4):267-73. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(92)90085-4.

Abstract

We investigated the effects of vinconate, a novel vinca alkaloid, on spatial learning deficits induced by medial septal (MS) lesion in rats. MS lesion was produced by passing an anodal DC current. In vehicle-treated MS-lesioned rats impairment of spatial learning was observed, shown by a decrease in correct choices and an increase in total errors during training in a radial arm maze task. Vinconate (10 mg/kg) treatment alleviated the decrease in correct choices and the increase in total errors induced by MS lesion. Vinconate (5 and 10 mg/kg) treatment showed a tendency to reverse the decrease in choline acetyltransferase activity in the hippocampus caused by MS lesion. The present study suggests that vinconate has an anti-amnesic effect on MS lesion-induced amnesia by ameliorating the dysfunction in cholinergic (ACh) neurons.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Choline O-Acetyltransferase / drug effects
  • Choline O-Acetyltransferase / metabolism
  • Hippocampus / drug effects*
  • Hippocampus / enzymology
  • Hippocampus / physiology
  • Learning / drug effects*
  • Learning / physiology
  • Male
  • Mental Recall / drug effects*
  • Neural Pathways / drug effects
  • Neural Pathways / physiology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Septum Pellucidum / physiology*
  • Septum Pellucidum / surgery
  • Spatial Behavior*
  • Vinca Alkaloids / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Vinca Alkaloids
  • vinconate
  • Choline O-Acetyltransferase