Citicoline is not protective in experimental models of Huntington's disease

Neurobiol Aging. 2007 Dec;28(12):1944-6. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.09.011. Epub 2006 Oct 24.

Abstract

We have evaluated the neuroprotective effects of citicoline in relevant phenotypic models of Huntington's disease induced by either the mitochondrial inhibitor 3-nitropropionic acid or the N-methyl-D-aspartate agonist quinolinic acid, which, respectively, reproduce the metabolic defect or the excitotoxicity seen in the disease. We found that citicoline failed to reverse behavioural and histological alterations induced by both neurotoxins. In addition, citicoline did not reduce PC12 cell death induced by the expression of an N-terminal fragment of mutated Huntingtin. Altogether, our results suggest that citicoline is not a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of Huntington's disease.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects
  • Cytidine Diphosphate Choline / administration & dosage*
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Huntington Disease / drug therapy
  • Huntington Disease / pathology*
  • Huntington Disease / physiopathology*
  • Neuroprotective Agents / administration & dosage
  • Nootropic Agents
  • Rats
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • Nootropic Agents
  • Cytidine Diphosphate Choline