Effects of tetrahydroaminoacridine on spatial navigation of nucleus-basalis- and frontal-cortex-lesioned rats.

The present study investigates the effects of tetrahydroaminoacridine (THA: 1 and 3 mg/kg) on water maze (WM) spatial learning performance of intact, nucleus-basalis- (NB) lesioned, frontal-cortex- (FR) lesioned, or NB + FR-lesioned rats. NB lesions did not impair WM learning and had no effect on the WM performance deficit in FR-lesioned rats. THA at 1 or 3 mg/kg did not improve WM spatial memory of intact, NB-, FR-, or NB + FR-lesioned rats. These results suggest that 1) the cholinergic NB system is not a prerequisite for frontally mediated acquisition of WM performance, 2) THA treatment does not enhance spatial memory, and 3) THA is not effective in alleviating cognitive deficits induced by degeneration of the frontal cortex.